A friends journey:
My wife got breast cancer in her mid 30's on Valentines day 2001. She had treatment and beat it. But it returned in the brain - 9 tumors. She was given the only treatment available in Australia, which almost killed her itself and made no difference. We were told to say our goodbyes. But I "discovered" a treatment in the USA which we inquired about and then Leah went to receive. Gamma Knife in San Diego. Its been around since the 60's but of course we don't have it in Australia and no one knows of it. One day of treatment and her 9 tumors were eradicated. She came back home and returned to work. Scans showed all clear but about 18 months later, four new ones appeared. Gamma Knife was not able to help this time as one was too big and in a bad spot. We were told to say our goodbyes again. Then a got an email out of the blue from a doctor in Oklahoma. He used Cyberknife. We sent Leah's scans again and she was suitable. We went and had the treatment and Leah was getting back to normal after. But 6 months later, with no warning, her liver failed. She died. 42 years old. I was left a single dad of 2 with a massive medical debt at high interest due to the urgency required in obtaining (and paying for these treatments). We weren't covered in the USA and weren't covered at home. I thought the banks would help by consolidating all this onto my mortgage but they refused. The Australian Government has a fund for such purposes (MTOP - medical treatment overseas program) but they refused to help also. So I had a huge battle to save my family home. This included offering my back as a human billboard to be tattooed and offering my house in a $100 raffle. All failed and we ended up saving the house but having to sell and relocate. I had to start again. While this was all happening I have been helping people get Cyberknife overseas as well as petitioning the government here to get the treatment to Australia. Over 5 yrs I have been battling and 200,000 Aussies have died from cancer. So I wrote the book about our journey. Features Elvis (a trip to Las Vegas explains all that) Patrick Swayze (we met him and he had Cyberknife for his pancreatic cancer) Oprah (my friend had her over for dinner in Melbourne when she came to Australia. My friend got her awareness of affirmations, positive thinking from my wife as she used the techniques during her cancer battle)
Proceeds of sales will go to me purchasing the Cyberknife myself which I will donate to a local hospital. I have even had an offer from a team of doctors from USA who have volunteered to come to Australia to train our doctors in its use. Cyberknife is sub millimeter accurate, quick, no drugs so no side effects, treats most cancers in the head and body and is available in 250 hospitals world wide.
I have a number of support sites with about 10,000 supporters and I have been helping people access Cyberknife overseas with great results while we wait to get it here. However many can't travel or cant afford it. Some are children who are candidates for this treatment.
So we still wait. I am now renting and make sandwiches for a living but I have begun a new direction in life. My book has received great support and one group are petitioning to get my book reviewed by Oprah on TV to assist.
Kind regards,
Ash Mackinnon
Bateau Bay, Central Coast NSW, Australia.
Submitted by Anonymous
We've all had people in our lives who have made a positive impact on us. A parent or grandparent, a sibling who was there for us, or maybe even just a guy who shines shoes for a living? Whoever they are, tell us their story so they can inspire us even more.
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