Two years ago I lost my beautiful Grandad to lung cancer. It was the worst time of my life and it was only back then that I realised there is a long way to go before I will come to terms with my loss. I‘ve since been supporting Mental Health organisations as the help I’ve been provided with at that time was incredible and got me out of a dark place. I promised myself then to always be open minded and inclusive as we just dont know what others are going through.

Over a month ago my uncle got diagnosed with the same type of cancer as my late grandad.

Now, when in my previous paragraph I say we just don‘t know what others are going through, in this case I suspect it is something close to hell. It took a month for him to find out what type of tumor it was that overtook two of his organs.

Marek. Juggling family life, working at hospital saving lifes every day and an incredible Godfather to me. You would have never guessed there was something wrong with him until he has partially lost his voice.

We are now on this journey together battling his illness and I promised myself to be always there for him. And whilst others have lost hope, I am full of it.

At the end of April I will be celebrating with him and his wife her 60th birthday. I set up this page because I would like to be able to provide him with financial support so he doesn’t have to worry about money as much (His first reaction when he found out about cancer was who was going to pay the mortgage). I am also doing this so that he can plan a great party for his wife with family and friends without any guilt. No better excuse for us all to get together at this rather difficult time...

He came to visit us once in the UK and he loved the country (unlike many other Polish visitiors who think the weather is always bad and all houses look the same!). I would like to be able to say to him that all my British family and friends are with him at this difficult time and it‘s not just the country itself, it is the kind British people who make this country special.

Thank you for reading, any support is welcome x

Barbara

P.S. We as a family will of course provide as much financial support as we can but you will be surprised to learn how little NFZ (equivalent of out NHS) pays for. All medication that comes with chemo, ie probiotics, suppliements, special diet, specialist tests, operation are NOT FUNDED by NFZ.

Survival rates in Poland are significantly lower than in all other EU countires. Now, you know why.