A FUNDRAISING campaign has been launched for a dad-of-two fighting stage 4 bowel cancer, amid hopes that treatment abroad could save his life.
Reece Payne, of Manor Road, Lake, was diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer in 2018 when he was just 31 years old, and two weeks later he found out he was going to be a dad.
Four years later he is finding that conventional treatments aren't working.
Now 35, and with two young daughters, Olivia, three, and Amelia, one, with partner Carlie, a senior A&E nurse, Reece is pinning his hopes on another option.
He said: "l been fighting this battle as a family and while I count my lucky stars I'm still here for them, my options for a cure are running out.
"I can't sit still and let this cancer destroy our family, I have to find other options for treatment and I need your help!
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Scroll down to find out how to help Reece
"Conventional chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments are not working. I'm having to look hard for alternative treatment if I’m to find a cure.
"Fortunately, there is a treatment protocol to run alongside my chemotherapy. The treatment is known as off-label drugs and not backed by the NHS.
"It consists of research-proven doctor-prescribed drugs and will help attack my cancer from another angle, sometimes even sensitising cancer to conventional chemotherapies.
"I will also need hyperbaric oxygen therapy and some different high-dose infusions that have shown to have an amazing effect on stopping cancer cells dead.
"I'm in contact with a fellow stage 4 bowel cancer patient who has had adoptive-cell immunotherapy treatment in Japan and is now in total remission.
"Immunotherapy is super expensive because it’s made with the body's own white blood cells. The cost is upwards of £50,000 for treatment and possibly up to eight weeks in Japan.
"If I could raise the funds it could just be the one thing that saves my life.
"The little problem I have is this potentially life-saving treatment is way out of my grasp in terms of cost.
"I have already got myself into debt trying to keep things afloat while not working and having different surgery and treatments.
"Carlie is working full-time to keep the household running, but you can only stretch an NHS nurse's wage so far.
"I need to raise money to continue to stay in the fight and have any chance of still being here to watch my girls grow up."
How to help Reece Payne's fight against bowel cancer
Reece is selling a BMW motorbike he won in online competition and has set up a crowdfunding campaign, which has already raised £8,400.
Donate to Reece's fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/reecewpayne
Other fundraising events are being planned.
Reece is documenting his fight on his blog www.bowelpayne.com
- A fundraising event is being held at Malin's Bar, High Street, Shanklin, on November 28, from 6.30pm onwards. It will feature Deadringer, the Island's own Meatloaf tribute act, and other music.
- Reece's friend Andy Baker is doing a 400km bike ride in 24 hours in Petersfield in early December. Donate at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/andy-baker-cycles
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