The family of an East Belfast man diagnosed with incurable cancer has vowed to fundraise to access alternative treatment abroad.
Mark Graham was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer for the second time, after he had beaten the disease last year. The 64-year-old was told this time, that it is incurable, sending a ripple of pain through his nearest and dearest.
News that no family wants to hear, the Grahams are doing their best to stay positive, and keep a hold of hope. They say they have researched a new cancer treatment in Marbella, which they hope to avail of.
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"Our dad is the kindest, most hardworking family man you'll ever meet," his children said.
"He spent over 25 years with Bombardier as an aircraft fitter in Belfast, along with taxi driving for 17 years. After beating pancreatic cancer a year ago, he was just starting to enjoy retirement with our mum Cathy.
"They've been married for 36 years and are true soul mates. They have an incredible relationship built on love and friendship, and we've never seen them argue with each other - they just complement each other perfectly.
"Our dad loves football and is a massive Manchester United fan, along with his passion for golf, when he’s not trying to find the golf club stuck in a bush after hitting a bad shot. Our hearts are broken at this recent diagnosis, but we have hope - there's a new cancer treatment called 'Dendritic Cell Therapy' offered abroad that has a 75% chance of saving our dad's life.
"Dendritic Cell Therapy is a breakthrough treatment in immunotherapy, and it has a remarkable success rate in treating cancer. Dendritic Cells are unique cells that help the immune system recognise and attack abnormal cells, like cancer cells. The purpose of Dendritic Cell Therapy is to mature and prepare the Cendritic Cells so that they can recognise cancer cells and activate specific immune cells to destroy them. It's a complex treatment, but it has incredible potential to save our dad's life."
Jack described his dad as the person who was there for him when he went through his own personal struggles.
"My dad has always been there for me, providing emotional support and advice whenever I needed it," he added.
"I've had a lot of personal challenges to overcome, and my dad has been there every step of the way, holding my hand even when he didn't quite understand what I was going through. Now it's my turn to support him, and I'm asking for help. We've been through so much illness and grief within our family over the last three years, and we just need a miracle to get through this."
Mark's daughter Sarah, who has two sons, said: "My two boys are my dad's world. They love nothing more than to chase Granda Mark (or ‘Ganda’ as my youngest calls him) around the house and have pillow fights.
"If they’re not messing up my house, Ganda Mark is teaching them how to play football… and I know there's still so much more for him to teach them.
"Anything I ask of my dad, there's never a problem for him to do it - he always says yes. He’s a great handyman and we all say, 'if Granda can’t fix it, no one can'. Our dad is an inspiration to us all - he never gives up hope, remains determined to beat this, and is always there to help anyone else that needs it, even when he's feeling tired and unwell.
"We know that raising the money for this treatment is a huge task, but we're willing to do whatever it takes to help our dad live a long, pain-free life. If anyone is able to donate, no matter how big or small, it will mean the world to us. If they are unable to donate, we ask that they please share our cause with others. Any money raised that is not used for this cause will be donated to Pancreatic Cancer UK, Macmillan Cancer Support (Northern Ireland) and Marie Curie Northern Ireland.
"Our dad is ready to beat cancer's ass all over again, and we believe that with your help, he can do it."
Please follow this link to donate to the fundraiser for Mark Graham.
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