Almost eight years ago our amazing, caring and charismatic Dad, Alan Sergison, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma: a blood cancer.  Currently, there is no cure for myeloma in any form.  In addition, as with many other forms of blood cancer, the nature of the disease often means frequent, lengthy hospital visits for patients, as it did for Dad.  

Our beautiful Dad passed away peacefully on Monday 28 January 2019, surrounded by all his family, at the Freeman hospital.  While we are all devastated for his loss, we each are incredibly proud of Dad’s bravery and tenacity while unwell,for the man he was and the positive impact he has had on so many people and communities.  We are so grateful for all the kind messages we have received since he passed away.  

During his treatment, Dad was supported by our amazing Mam: his soul mate. The medical staff at the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Gateshead and Freeman Hospital in Newcastle (particularly wards 33, 34 and 36) have been fantastic and always treated our Dad with dignity and respect and been a great source of comfort for my Mam and us. Dad being wonderful Dad, he was also loved and well known at hospital.   

Dad endured some very debilitating treatment and side effects, including very harsh chemotherapy and stem cell transplants.  Although the treatment and side effects were frequently tough for him, he always tried hard to carry on with life and remain the man we all know and love.  He chose to continue working until very recently and loved nothing more than to spend time with his friends and family and tend to his fabulous garden.  Our Dad was a “life- enhancer”, as one friend referred to him.

He was also incredibly brave. In May 2018 he agreed to participate in a medical trial for a new immunotherapy treatment for myeloma, known as CAR-T cell therapy. CAR-T cell therapy is already used to treat other cancers. Dad was one of the first people to participate in the trial, at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital, and he did so knowing that the trial may not work.  CAR-T cell therapy represents a new way to attack and kill myeloma cells.  The aim of the treatment is toremove, genetically modify and re-implant a patient’s own white blood cells back into their bodies, with the aim of these cells then multiplying, attacking and killing the myeloma cells.  The complexity of the myeloma disease is that the myeloma cells constantly adapt and develop, becoming resistant to drugs and treatments.  This means that any period of remission for patients is often short-lived.    The hope is that CAR-T cell therapy will give a greatly extended period of remission for patients suffering from myeloma.  Unbelievably, if CAR-T cell therapy is successful for patients, these patients will be able to live a life (during a period of remission, which it is hoped may be as long as two years) without taking any medication at all.  As part of this trial Dad spent almost three weeks living in Ward 33 of the Freeman Hospital and supported by the fantastic research team there.  Given that the trial had just commenced and to ensure that the CAR-T cells were not overly toxic to him, the dose initially administered to participants was low.  Unfortunately, the trial did not work for our wonderful Dad: but the second phase of the trial, administering modified cells at a greater level, has worked for all participants.  Unbelievably, these participants are now in CR: complete remission.  This was only ever a dream for our Dad and family, but with this cutting-edge treatment it has become some families’ reality. The fantastic research teams are continuing to build on and develop CAR-T cell therapyand we are so proud that our Dad has helped this research.

During his treatment and particularly the last year, Dad has needed lots of transfusions of blood and platelets from donors.     Without these transplants and the significant advances made in pioneering medical treatment for myeloma even while he has been unwell, we would not have been able to make so many new memories with Dad over the past few years, or introduce him to his four grandchildren, who he loved so dearly.  Five years before Dad’s diagnosis, many of the drugs and treatments he was offered during his illness were not available.  Research into blood cancers is essential and by continuing to support charities who aim to eradicate blood cancers, we can make a real difference and improve the prognosis for patients suffering from these awful diseases: perhaps even find a cure.

Bright Red are an amazing charity based in the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.    They support patients and families of patients with blood cancers by investing in research, diagnosis and treatments and providing practical support like supportive therapies and care grants for patients and their families.  Their vision is to make the North East of England the safest place in the country, if not the world, to be treated for blood cancers. Our Dad touched the hearts and lives of so many people and as part of his continued legacy, we decided to set up this JustGiving site to enable anyone who felt able to, to donate to Bright Red to enable them to continue their essential work and look to find more treatments and even a cure for blood cancers, including myeloma. We are so grateful for any donation you can make.  

Other ways to help are to register as a:

Thank you for taking the time to visit our JustGiving site and for any help you can offer.

With love and thanks from Alan’s children: Amy, Vashti and Lucy, son-in-law’s Chris and Jack, our wonderful Mam, Vanda and his grandchildren: Oliver, Bethany, Evelyn and Luke.