Page 6 - SAN Foundation Spring Newsletter 2024

SUPPORTER STORY
Grateful Patient
The Miracle Man
Seven years after recovering from prostate cancer, Chris Haigh noticed he was having trouble swallowing and his GP referred him for a gastroscopy. He was diagnosed with cancer in the duodenum and was initially told the cancer was inoperable.
“I wasn’t happy to accept that, so I went back to my GP and asked for a second opinion,” said Chris. “My GP referred me to (A/Prof) Gavin Marx at the San. In March 2016 Gavin put me on a course of treatment for six months which cleared it up. It was fantastic. I walked out of there very happy.”
Unfortunately, in March 2017, cancer returned, and Chris commenced a new treatment. After a few infusions of chemotherapy, he had an anaphylactic reaction to it and had
to stop that drug.
“Without that being an option
for me anymore, there was no
other alternative drug on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) at that time,” remembers Chris. “But then Gavin Marx told
me about a trial of immunotherapy. Because this immunotherapy drug wasn’t yet on the PBS, Gavin warned me it was expensive and that I’d have to pay for it myself.”
Chris jokingly replied, “Well what have I been working 45 years for, if not to pay for this?” At that point Chris was in a wheelchair and could hardly walk. “I wasn’t very well; I’d lost 20kg in weight and lost my hair.” Chris started on the trial immunotherapy around mid-2017 and had regular infusions at the San’s Integrated Cancer Centre.
Eventually the trial drug was included in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme which eased the
cost considerably for Chris. Which was just as well, because while being treated for the duodenal cancer, Chris was also diagnosed with a tumour in his liver. “What they think happened is that the cancer metastasised, and it was discovered Ihada114mmtumourintheliver– about the size of an orange.”
“After five years of infusions every two weeks, by October 2022 the tumour was dead,” said Chris. “Gavin calls me ‘the miracle man’. I think we worked out I’d had more than 140 immunotherapy infusions during those five years. Active treatment stopped in October last year and I’m now only seeing Gavin once every three months for check-ups.”
While having treatment, Chris heard about San Foundation and signed up to receive San Foundation newsletters. “I feel such a debt of gratitude to Gavin and the San, and I thought the best thing I can do
is to give something back towards the cancer centre – which I’ve been doing for a few years now. I’m very keen to support where I can, to the extent that I can.”
It is reassuring to Chris to know his donations to San Foundation will go towards the cancer centre and make a difference for patients just like him – long into the future.
Chris has a background in accounting and finance, and was also an entrepreneur and importer for 10 years before he retired in 2015. After a very difficult few years for him and his family, Chris is now back to enjoying his golf and travelling
– having recently returned from exploring the beautiful Kimberley coastline.
“My wife and I have a long association with the San going back to 1975 when our first son was born there,” said Chris. “I just sing the praises of the place, and Gavin in particular. What else can I say, I’m still here!”
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