Liz's Story:
Just over one year ago I went to my local A&E feeling incredibly unwell. I was kept in overnight with urgent tests. On November 24th following an Endoscopy I was given the devastating news that I had cancer. Several days later I was told it was a rare form called 'small cell stomach cancer'.
Due to its rarity & very little data available I was treated as a small cell lung cancer patient. A scan after 3 sessions of Cisplatin & Etoposide chemotherapy showed the tumour to have shrunk by more than 50%. I continued with 3 more sessions & radiotherapy. Sadly in August 2016 I was told that another tumour had grown & I was now considered terminal with a life expectancy of up to 12 months.
Not one to give up & not wanting to accept what I was hearing I decided to make it my mission to raise awareness of rare cancers & to attempt to find alternative treatments. I had been put onto CAV chemotherapy which was debilitating with no quality of life for me.
After making enquiries I underwent a procedure called 'Nanoknife' to the second tumour. Subsequent tumours that had appeared were considered too small to warrant Nanoknife at that stage.
Biopsies taken during the procedure were transported to a Professor in Southampton, with whom I was in contact with. These biopsies tested positive for PDL1 & immunotherapy was highly recommended.
I was in contact with another Professor at the London Oncology Clinic & he suggested we begin Immunotherapy, in the form of Nivolumab, ASAP.
My Immunotherapy journey began on Wednesday 2nd November 2016. I will continue with this treatment every 2 weeks with 6 sessions planned before a CT scan.
So far we have raised enough money to cover the sessions, however if a scan shows it is working (and we hope and pray so hard that it is) then more fundraising will be required to enable me to continue this form of treatment as it is not available on the NHS.
I thank all who have donated from the bottom of my heart.
Love Liz xx