A man who left the NHS after being told that his cancer was terminal and received treatment abroad has urged the government to increase funding for brain tumor research.
After being diagnosed with a brain tumor, Mark Thompson of Littlehampton, West Sussex, was given a three- to five-year prognosis.
He raised £100,000 for immunotherapy treatment in Germany after seeking a second opinion; this treatment is not provided by the NHS. As a result, he is now cancer-free.
The limited treatment options that were available to Mr. Thompson, who is now 38, were described as "incredibly frustrating" by him.
When Mr. Thompson was diagnosed, he underwent surgery to remove the tumor, but the doctors were unable to reach the cancerous cells in the area.
Although he received chemotherapy and radiotherapy, his condition was declared to be irreversible.
After seeking a second opinion, it was advised that Mr. Thompson seek out private medical care from a physician in Germany.
The initial course of treatment cost almost £12,000; thereafter, monthly doses cost about £7,000 each.
Every six to eight months, he now requires treatment, which he intends to continue.
Mark Thompson is still raising money to travel to Germany for additional medical care.
"I had to do what was best for me, even though my oncologist in Sussex wasn't happy about my alternative treatments. Simply put, chemo and radiotherapy are the only treatments I believe the NHS considers.
How few treatments there are in this country is something I have found to be extremely frustrating throughout this entire journey. ".
Three kids, ranging in age from eight to seventeen, belong to Mr. Thompson and his wife Sophia.
Mr. Thompson has joined the nonprofit organization Brain Tumour Research in urging the government to boost research spending to £35 million annually by 2028.
The charity's Hugh Adams stated: "More work needs to be done to develop treatments in this country for patients like Mark so they are not compelled to travel abroad for care.
Patients and families are still being let down by a funding system that is unfit for its intended use and is siloed. ".
We have contacted the Department for Health and Social Care and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for comments.
