The daughter of a woman with terminal cancer who was “written off” by UK doctors says life-saving treatment in Germany has had a “profound affect” on her mum in just three weeks.
Two months ago, Pauline Gahan, from Denton, was given the devastating news that she had stomach cancer – and that it had already spread to her liver, lungs, oesophagus and lymphnodes.
Doctors told the 60-year-old that there was nothing they could do for her, and her only option was palliative chemotherapy, which would not cure her but would keep her comfortable for as long as possible.
Watch: Pauline's daughter speaks about her treatment
Her family refused to accept this, and immediately set to work on researching alternative types of treatment.
They came across a facility in Germany named Hallwang Clinic which offered a form of immunotherapy not available on the NHS.
The clinic had many success stories, but treatment came at a price and a fundraising campaign was launched to raise some of the cash towards the bill.
Pauline’s daughter Lisa, 35, says her mum is now back in Manchester following her first three-week stint of immunotherapy at Hallwang, and is due to return next week to continue her treatment.
She said that when office manager Pauline first travelled to the clinic, she was so weak she was couldn’t walk, shower or dress herself, and had to lifted up in bed so she could have a drink.
Now, three weeks on, she is able to get up in the morning, and do all those things she was unable to do without assistance.
Lisa said: “The treatment has had a profound effect even after such a short period of time.
“During her stay at Hallwang mum met lots of people like her who had been told that there was little that could be done for them back in their home countries.
“Like mum they had all heard about some of the remarkable outcomes patients had been achieving at Hallwang and lots of them are now on their way to winning their battles against cancer.
“So many former patients of the clinic achieve full remission despite having been written off by cancer hospitals in the UK, the US, Australia and many other countries and we believe that mum is starting to win her battle already, but there is a long way still to go.”
Pauline’s last visit to the clinic cost around £150,000 and so far they have managed to raise £50,000.
Lisa says the next two visits will cost around £60,000 and says that meeting the costs has put immense strain on the family financially.
She is now appealing for donations towards her mum’s treatment.
She said: “We continue to ask, and are extremely grateful, for any contributions that people can make towards helping us out with these costs. Mum is only 60 years of age and she so deserves to enjoy a retirement and to see her two young grandsons grow up.”
To donate visit www.gofundme.com/2727cs5g
