Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
OUR FINAL HOPE
APPEAL TO SAVE LIFE OF 28-YEAR-OLD RAISES £35K IN JUST SEVEN DAYS
‘There’s no question of planning for the future. I’ve had to tear myself away from hope’
The family of a young man told he will likely die from an aggressive skin cancer are pinning their final hopes on a miracle medical trial. They fear it is the last chance 28-year-old Charlie Davey has of beating the disease, which was first identified as a malignant melanoma when he was 19.
Now friends, and even strangers, have raised a staggering £35,000 in just a week to pay for the expensive drugs to keep the disease at bay while he awaits ‘adoptive cell therapy’ - one of the latest treatments being trialled by doctors .
Told he has stage four cancer with poor life expectancy, he said: “There’s no question of planning for the future. I’ve had to tear myself away from hope.”
The former Canterbury Christ Church University student, who lives in Wingham, has had numerous treatments and surgeries to remove tumours.
His fight with cancer featured in a Channel 4 ‘Stand Up to Cancer’ documentary in 2017 called A Summer to Save My Life, in which he underwent new immunotherapy treatment.
It initially produced optimistic results and stopped the cancer from spreading - only for the tumours to continue growing soon after.
His mother Andrea said that while Charlie had received fantastic treatment at the Royal Marsden Hospital, the NHS had “run out of options” for him.
But a glimmer of hope now rests with another pioneering trial, which involves removing some of his tumour cells and growing immune cells in a laboratory for three months to be administered back into his body to fight the cancer. She said: “Unfortunately, Charlie has been without effective treatment since February, so his cancer has undoubtedly progressed. “He will be without treatment for the next three months unless we can find the funds required to pay for the drugs which could keep his disease stable enough for the trial to be as effective as possible.”
Now Andrea and the family, including Charlie’s dad Neil, sister Georgia and girlfriend Hannah, say they have been overwhelmed by the support the appeal has had in just a week, almost reaching their target of £38,000.
“It’s been quite incredible we just didn’t expect it, especially when we received donations from people we don’t even know,” said Andrea, who runs a dog grooming business. The appeal received widespread support after being tweeted by England and Kent cricketer Joe Denly. He heard about Charlie’s plight from his father, Nick Denly, who plays walking football with Neil. “Charlie is such a lovely, kind person who we are extremely proud of,” said Andrea. “Everybody who knows or meets him, loves him. “Why did he have to get this awful disease? He has never hurt anything. But he never moans or complains, even in his darkest moments.” Charlie had planned to be a primary school teacher, like his partner Hannah, 24, but had to abandon his degree course due to his failing health.
The pair - who met at university in Canterbury - are devoted to each other and hope to build a future and family together, but the cancer hangs like a dark shadow over them.
She is now supporting him, with the couple making the best of their precious time together.
Now, Andrea is urging others to be aware of early symptoms of skin cancer.
She says that although sporty, Charlie, who played cricket for Littlebourne, was never a sun-worshipper. “He had a small mole on his neck which looked pretty innocuous, but when it turned black, we said it needed to be looked at by a doctor, “she said.
“It was extremely scary when the malignant melanoma was diagnosed,” she said.
But it was removed and doctors were optimistic because it had been caught early. With all seeming well, Charlie went to Australia for three years to travel and work. But when he returned, a follow-up health check revealed the cancer had progressed. Andrea she is urging others to be very aware of moles on their bodies, especially if they change character.
“It’s vital to get them checked out a soon as possible because although we did the right thing, time is still especially crucial with skin cancer,” she said.
To support the appeal for Charlie, go to www.gofundme. com/f/cancer-treatment-forcharlie-davey.