Help people like Des survive to celebrate special moments with their families
It was supposed to be a routine doctor's visit...
Des had gone to the hospital for some blood tests on his varicose veins, thinking it was going to be a simple procedure. Tragically, he couldn’t have been any more wrong.
When the results came back, the doctors told him he had leukaemia.
Des was shocked, confused, disorientated. His mind was racing with questions. “Do I have much more time left with family? Will I ever meet my grandchildren?”
When Des stopped responding to treatment, he took part in a clinical trial. Now fully recovered, he has been able to experience some of life’s precious milestones – like walking Jessica down the aisle, and being a grandfather to her two boys.
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Des says that doctors told him, “Your leukaemia is aggressive. Your only option is a clinical trial for a new drug treatment, and I just thought, I have to get on that trial.’’
The clinical trial was run by a major hospital in Melbourne and Des lives 250 km away in Warrnambool.
His youngest daughter, Naomy, drove Des to Melbourne and back, week in, week out.
Des says, “After 18 months on trial, there’s no sign of leukaemia in my bone marrow. I’m not classed as cured, but the CLL is under control. I just wouldn’t be alive, if I hadn’t got onto that trial."