Teacher overwhelmed as £70k raised for cancer treatment

A cancer patient says he has been left "overwhelmed" after almost £70,000 was raised in a week to fund an experimental treatment.

Joe Rumming was diagnosed with metastatic bowel cancer at Leicester Royal Infirmary in December 2020, which spread to other organs in his body.

He has since undergone operations and chemotherapy but was recently told the cancer was no longer treatable.

The 31-year-old hopes an immunotherapy treatment could prolong his life.

Mr Rumming, from Coalville, in Leicestershire, said he "knew something wasn't right with myself" when he became unwell.

"It was tough at the time, but I thought we'll fight this and make sure it's all gone and gets sorted," he said.

He underwent an operation and chemotherapy which was successful, but in September 2021 scans showed the cancer had spread to his liver.

Mr Rumming said it was another "big shock" but he was determined to fight the disease and underwent another operation and another cycle of chemotherapy.

In December 2022 there was further upsetting news when doctors told him and his wife Beth the cancer had now spread to his left lung.

"I thought, it's never-ending. It's not looking great but again we're always positive and we always go through it," he said.

In May the couple were given more devastating news.

Although the cancer had been removed from his bowel and left lung following four operations and two cycles of chemotherapy it had spread across his whole liver and into his right lung.

"We were told it was now at stage four and there was nothing more the NHS could do," Ms Rumming said.

"But I though there must be somebody in this world who knows something? Who could do something to help Joe?

"It doesn't matter what it costs, we'll find a way to make it happen to extend Joe's life."

Ms Rumming said a company based in Dublin, Ireland, had offered a pioneering cell immunotherapy treatment designed to reduce lesions in his liver.

"We're not deluded," she said. "There's no guarantee that this treatment is going to work, but even if it's a 1% chance, it's a chance we've got to take because we've got no alternative."

The 30-year-old said she set up an online fundraising page last week to help cover the cost of the treatment, but the total had so far more than doubled to over £69,200.

"Never in a million years did we think we would get close to £30,000," she said.

"The money is going to go a really long way to try and get things in place to help Joe."

Mr Rumming said: "I can't thank everyone enough. It's amazing."

The couple, who are both teachers at Brookvale Learning Campus, in Groby, said the dozens of messages from students have been "heartwarming".

They added the generous donations have been "overwhelming, mind-blowing and emotional".

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