Support immune therapy for colorectal cancer
How to participate?
There are 2 options.
I am Mark.
Nice to meet you. I m Mark (47), and I have cancer. Please join me help giving other people with colorectal cancer the same I was given. I’ll shortly tell you my story.
After a turbulent year full of ups and downs, I heard that I could not be treated this February anymore. No first-line options. In that same period, I heard about immune therapy treatments abroad. In The Netherlands, these treatments are not being offered and are not reimbursed by health insurance. But abroad they provide good results. I started digging’ in and talked to doctors, researchers, and other cancer patients. Very soon, I knew I wanted to try this. Therefore I created a fundraiser to collect money for my treatment. That felt a bit weird since I had a lot of experience with marketing and fundraising for various non-profit organizations but never for myself. I made a website came up with many ideas to raise money, asked friends to help, and hoped for the bet that I would raise enough money to pay for my treatment abroad.
I am still impressed by how many people supported my fundraiser. Every hour I saw the amount running up and my chances for treatment increasing. After one day, I received enough money to afford the treatment in Germany. I am still so thankful to each and every donor.
Rather listen?
How can you help immunotherapy research?
I have done the immune therapy. The effect is hard to proof but I am still here. The cancer stays instable and currently grows.
We will bo see if follow-up treatment will be needed So I feel room for dreaming about my future.
What I want with my life and slowly and carefully looking forward. And I with them for many more patients with cancer.
I hear many stories of people raising money for their treatments, but unfortunately, with less luck, I find it quite bizarre that these treatments – which offer a chance to live – are not available to everyone.
Breakthrough effect immune Therapy
Dr. Myriam Chalabi of the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Medical Centre recently researched the effectiveness of immune therapy for non-metastasized colorectal cancer (CRC), which is eligible for surgery https://www.doq.nl/dr-chalabi-immuuntherapie-voor-de-operaGe-heeA-effect-bij-darmkanker.
So far, it was assumed that immune therapy only worked for 15% of the people with CRC. But that finding I now put upside down. Chalabi’s research shows that with that 15%, immune therapy work 100% (instead of the earlier assumed 35-55%). And she also discovered that the treatment also work for the other 85%. In those can it works in 25% of the cases. This is groundbreaking news.
This research is good since it means that the treatment will be approved and therefore would be offered and reimbursed for everyone in The Netherlands (and maybe abroad).
This would mean that much more people with CRC will be able to have this treatment.
Unlike me, they won’t have to go abroad and start crowdfunding to afford their treatment.
In January of this year together with a lot of friends I started a new fundraiser to support the research of Dr Chalabi. Together with S10 and Joep Beving we made a remake of De Leven and released it. All proceeds went and are still going to the foundation.
We also had a charity auction and people could donate. Within a month we raised enough money for Chalabi to start the research.
Next step: 60.000 euros needed
There is still a group of people with R for which immune therapy would be a good treatment but for whom it is not available at the moment—also not based on the above research. A group of people with non- metastasized colorectal cancer is not eligible for surgery.
A few steps need to be taken before we can ensure that this group will have access to this promising treatment and make sure the treatment will be approved. First, the good news: the manufacturer of the immune therapy medicine will provide the medication (a tool worth € 2,5 million) for free. That is excellent news.
But two costs need to be financed to start the follow-up research.
These are:
- 57.000 euro for research. This money will be used to start the research. To generate and process all data and provide definite proof for ten effectiveness of this treatment for this group. This is needed to have the treatment approved.
- 60.000 euro for additional research on the operation of immune therapy. This will be used for RNA and DNA sequencing. The goal is to learn why this treatment does not work with some people. Based on this information, the treatment can then be adjusted to work for those people.
The first amount we raised with the fundraiser of January 2022. The research can now be started and will help a lot of people with colorectal cancer
But of course, it is my dream to raise the remaining 60,000 euros. Then the extended research can help many more people and offer them perspective.
How do I participate?
There are 2 options.
1. Listen and share the track “De Leven”
(won’t cost you anything)
Together with friends, we made a remake of Sef’s track De Leven. Artists S10 and Joep Beving made this new version. It has always been one of my anthems. It perfectly explains how to cope with bad things in life and how to enjoy life. So if you want to help, please stream this track on Spotify or Apple Music then you basically contribute to the fundraiser 😉
The tracks is released on 14 January on all platforms so the more you stream the song, the more funds we will raise
You can stream or download the song here https://lnk.fu.ga/joepbevingfts10_deleven
Please note:
I have been working in the music industry for years, and everyone produced the song for free, so all the money can go to the fundraiser.
PPS When you buy the track on Apple Music 70 cents will directly go to the fundraiser. That will go faster than streaming and you can listen to it anywhere, even without internet.
2. Donate on GoFundMe
Of course you can support directly. If everyone would donate the equivalent of a coffee and cake or some beers we would be almost there already.
Personally, I know how valuable this is.
Whatever you choose.
Thanks a lot in advance. If only for reading this.
Mark
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