A BRAVE father of two battling inoperable cancer has been given a huge lift by a charity push to fund a life-extending drug raising £38,000 in just two days.
Jim Barrow, 40, was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in May 2022.
Barrow familyJim Barrow, 40, was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer just two years ago[/caption]
Barrow familyJim’s family has been overwhelmed by the support they’ve received[/caption]
After it spread to his liver, he endured gruelling rounds of chemo, radiotherapy and operations.
In a bid to stabilise the cancer, Jim’s family turned to Avastin, a drug he can’t get through the NHS.
Avastin is licensed drug prescribed in the UK to treat some types of cancer that have spread from where they first started.
Depending on which hospital James visits, a course of Avastin could set him back £1,000 for each treatment every two weeks.
Loving wife Nicky, 33, set up a GoFundMe appeal this week to cover the £25,000 or so needed for a year’s worth of the drug.
But Nicky, Jim and children Archie, eight, and Izzy, four, were “blown away” by the remarkable response which saw £38,000 raised in just 48 hours.
One big-hearted donor, who remained anonymous, added a staggering £8,000 to the pot.
Nicky, of Earls Colne, Essex, said: “It’s overwhelming. This is the positivity we have needed, to feel like we’re not alone and everyone is supporting us.
“It’s been a whirlwind, a living nightmare but to know we have got at least a year’s worth of treatment is incredible.
“It’s about Jim’s quality of life and to improve his symptoms. Hopefully it will allow him to do more of the things he wants to do.
“I don’t think words can express how thankful we are, it doesn’t come easy for us to ask for help, we weren’t sure if we should do this. From the bottom of our hearts we are so thankful.”
When should I get a bowel cancer screening?
The UK currently has three cancer screening programmes on the NHS, to detect bowel, cervical and breast cancers.
But, for years, Brits have been subjected to a postcode lottery when it comes to bowel cancer screening.
In Scotland, screening starts at the age of 50. Yet, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland people had to wait until their 60th birthdays to be invited to take the life-saving tests.
That’s why, in April 2018, The Sun launched the No Time 2 Lose campaign – calling on the Government to lower the screening age to 50, a move which could save an estimated 4,500 lives annually.
In the summer of 2018, health secretary Matt Hancock announced screening in England would be lowered to 50 – marking a victory for The Sun and campaigners.
In April 2021, NHS England began to gradually reduce the age range starting with those aged 56. The rollout will be phased over four years to include people aged 50-59.
SYMPTOM CHECKER Bowel cancer symptoms: What are the first signs and when should I get a screening?
BOWEL cancer causes tens of thousands of deaths every year, making it one of the UK’s biggest cancer killers.
Bowel cancer is where the disease starts in the large intestines.
It can also be called colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where it starts.
What are the first symptoms of bowel cancer?
The five red-flag symptoms of bowel cancer include:
Bleeding from the back passage, or blood in your poo
A change in your normal toilet habits – going more frequently for example
Pain or a lump in your tummy
Extreme tiredness
Losing weight
In Wales you are invited if you’re aged between 55 and 74, and in Northern Ireland people still have to wait until 60 to receive an invite.
Each of the bowel cancer screening programmes in the UK use home tests called faecal immunochemical test (FIT).
If you are eligible the test will be sent to you automatically, every two years.
The FIT tests involves collecting a small sample of poo on a plastic stick and putting it in a sample bottle. You then post the sample to a lab for testing.
Results typically take around two weeks, according to Bowel Cancer UK.
To donate, visit GoFundMe.
Barrow familyThe dad-of-two has been supported by his family – who are now raising money for his treatment[/caption]