Parents each diagnosed with lung cancer
A husband and wife have been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer within five months of each other.
Graham and Mery Brooke-Smith are trying to raise funds for treatment which they hope will allow them to see their sons grow up for at least a few more years.
The Auckland couple – who are both non-smokers – were diagnosed with stage four lung cancer this year, and were given six months to live if they didn’t receive treatment. Racing against time, they’re raising money to fund treatment which would cost them more than $200,000.
They have two boys, aged 11 and nine. Graham hopes the treatment, which they have to pay for, would allow them to live a little longer, ‘‘at least to see our boys grow a bit older’’.
A Givealittle page has been set up to help raise money for the family.
‘‘With just chemotherapy, we’re looking at two years. With the whole treatment, we can be around for four or more years,’’ Graham said.
Graham was diagnosed first, in January, after he went to the doctors for a back problem. After several tests, they found he had cancer, and it had spread to his spine.
Mery was diagnosed with the same cancer a few months later, in May. Her cancer has also spread to her spine and is more aggressive.
Mery is recovering in hospital after getting surgery to insert a steel rod to stabilise her leg.
Graham has returned to parttime work as a civil engineer, and they’re both trying to maintain some sort of stability for their children.
Their cancer treatment is not funded by Pharmac, only chemotherapy is, Graham says.
He’s been taking pills which costs $1100 a month, and he has to take them for 12 months.
Mery’s immunotherapy treatment would cost $90,000 for six months, then $2200 every month after that.