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Bristol man trying to raise £250k for cancer treatment

Richard Orna Richard Orna in a hospital bedRichard Orna
Mr Orna hopes to start his treatment in Germany before the end of the year.

A man diagnosed with an aggressive and incurable brain tumour is fundraising for experimental treatment abroad, after exhausting NHS care.

Richard Orna, 38, from Bristol, discovered last year he has a glioblastoma, which carries a prognosis of 12 to 18 months.

Mr Orna is now trying to raise £250,000 for immunotherapy in Germany.

"I'd do anything to have five more minutes with my wife, Maja. I'd try any possible treatment," he said.

His sister, Sal, started a crowdfunding page, and more than £28,000 has been donated so far to help with his costs.

Richard Orna Richard Orna with peaked cap, and sister Sal in black and white striped top.Richard Orna
Mr Orna's sister, Sal, set up a crowdfunding page to help with his treatment costs.

Mr Orna is being monitored with three-monthly scans, and saving for the dendritic cell vaccine, an immunotherapy treatment which is not covered by his insurers because it is classed as experimental.

"Preparations are under way and I've been out to Cologne in Germany for some preliminary treatment," he said.

"They've done a range of tests to ensure I'm suitable for it, which I am.

"Hopefully I can begin the treatment towards the end of the year. I've jokingly been saying that would be my Christmas present."

Through his workplace health insurance Mr Orna was also able to access a Tumour Treating Fields device - headwear which uses electric fields to disrupt cell division in cancerous cells, resulting in cell death.

It has been reported that used in combination they can extend life by several months.

Richard Orna Selfie of Richard Orna and wife Maja in hats by the sea.Richard Orna
Richard Orna and his wife Maja started a petition to get more funding for brain tumour research

Along with his wife Maja, he has started a petition to increase government funding of brain tumour research, which has more than 48,000 signatures.

"I'm shocked and disappointed with how little investment there is in brain tumours, we desperately need more funding and research," he said.

The charity Brain Tumour Research said brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, but only 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to the disease in the last 20 years.

It has called on the government to increase funding.

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