WHAT ARE WE DOING?

Myself, my good friend Lee (the organiser of this event) and a small group of us will be running 150km over 3 days from March 1st to March 3rd to raise some much needed funds for our great friend Sean who is in a serious battle with cancer.

This challenge will be extremely gruelling and 1 that will test us to the limit, but the cause could not be any more greater!

WHY ARE WE DOING IT?

Our great friend Sean was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer (bowel and liver metastases) back in May 2016. Ever since then, he has fought with unrivalled determination, positivity and dignity, but has also faced an extremely gruelling battle which has included 50 (YES 50!!) sessions of chemotherapy.

Thankfully, Sean has smashed the primary cancer and his bowel is now clear. Unfortunately, the liver metastases are proving extremely tough!

In Seans own words, the NHS have been amazing, and have ultimately kept him alive thus far. But, from now, to get maximum impact from Chemo, Sean will need to start on Avastin which is extremely costly (around £1500 per session!) and not available on the NHS.

Sean is a very proud man and 1 of the nicest people you will ever meet! He needs our help financially and literally every penny raised will make a positive difference. Without advanced further treatment, the consequences bare not thinking about!

SEANS STORY

Please read Sean’s story below. His message is testament to how incredibly brave he is. If his message doesnt prompt you to donate, then im not sure what will!

“Hello there!

My name is Sean O'Brien, I'm 34 years old and trying my best to save my life so I can live the life that all young people should be able to. Work, have a family, support my parents. The things that I previously took for granted.

I was self employed before my diagnosis and haven't been able to work since. I've been living off kind donations from family, friends and have spent all of my savings. With my treatment changing, and the costs escalating, that is no longer possible.

Since my not so positive stage 4 diagnosis (bowel cancer and liver metastases) in May'16 I've thrown absolutely everything at it. Chemotherapy. Radiotherapy. Organ removal. Massive diet change and keeping myself in as good as shape as possible.

All of this fighting has enabled me to smash the primary cancer to pieces and my bowel is now clear, however the liver metastases are proving extremely stubborn. What they haven't counted on is the fact that I am also extremely stubborn and am determined to continue to tackle this horrible disease head on.

My last scan results showed that my liver metatases have stopped responding to the current chemo that I am on. My bowel and the rest of my body is clear, which is positive and one of the reasons why I know I can beat this.

The NHS are amazing - they have kept me alive this far. But I have been told to get the maximum impact from my new chemotherapy, I need to use Avastin, which is not available on the NHS. This costs £1500 per session and I have to have a minimum of 8 sessions (£12k). However, the reality of it is that I will probably have to have more... a lot more.

On the 10th of January '19 I'll be doing my 50th chemotherapy session, I'm not super man. I now need your help if I am to continue to battle against this unforgiving, relentless disease. Cancer.

The NHS have done an incredible job keeping me going this long (most of us have long kicked by this point, 5% make it beyond 3yrs..ap) and to them I'm incredibly grateful!!

But I know I'm very close to being out of "free options" so I'm getting the ball rolling now, rather than when I'm actually at the point... as then, well.. you know.

I genuinely don't know what the cost of all this will be, but it won't be cheap. For example, during my last meeting with the liver surgeon he said that he thinks 'SIRT' (internal radiation) is my next treatment. This costs 28K and is not funded on the NHS anymore. Without this, I'll not be able to kill of the remaining of these pesky cancer cells.

Any help that I can put towards saving my life would be much appreciated and I'll be forever in your debt.

S.O.B x”