My name is Andy and I was diagnosed with an incurable non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in April 2015. I've just started a drug trial at the Christie Hospital in Manchester which is my fifth major treatment. I've had chemotherapy twice, a stem cell transplant and a drug called lenalidomide. I'm being given a new immunotherapy drug called Epcoritamab, known as a Bispecific. These revolutionary new immunotherapy treatments, Bispecifics and also CAR-T, are used in the USA and EU, but unfortunately the UK lags well behind. Neither CAR-T or Bispecifics are available for my lymphoma type on the NHS and the only way to receive one of these game changing new treatments is via a drug trial. That means finding a trial and being accepted, and randomising to the new drug rather than an existing treatment. 

These drugs should be available on the NHS as standard treatments to exactly the same extent they are used in the USA and EU. This isn't about needing more hospitals or more Doctors, this is just about drug funding. Patients in the UK who have paid taxes for the NHS all their lives are being denied life saving treatments. Government wastes billions, these drugs can easily be afforded by the world's sixth largest economy, this is simply about Government and NHS inefficiency and incompetence.

The Menu above has links to my story and my Campaign for the drug funding NHS follicular lymphoma patients deserve. I've experienced a lot over the last ten years so if anyone who is newly diagnosed has any questions do get in touch.

The Blog also has all the latest updates.

The first photo is two years after my diagnosis, the second one is two years later during my stem cell transplant. Despite everything I'm pleased to say I can still make Jo laugh, though she finds it all desperately difficult of course.

Supporting the campaign is really easy. Please just enter your email address below. It's a simple petition, full details are on the Campaign page. You can unsubscribe at any time but my email updates are not very frequent so don't be concerned. Updates are mainly via the Blog and Instagram.

If you use Instagram, please follow me @andybr888  - cancer can be a very lonely place so a follow really helps. 

This R2D2 lookalike is the ultimate selfie. This is how frozen stem cells arrive back to be transplanted. They enable recovery from the six days of pre-transplant chemotherapy. Your life is literally in that container.