Archive | Uncategorized RSS feed for this section

PATRICIA TELLS HER STORY OF TREATMENT AT THE DOVE CLINIC

22 Nov

I returned home from my treatment 2 weeks ago now with the biggest side effect being an increased need for sleep. I’m not sure if this was because of the treatment or just having spent 2 weeks away from home sleeping in a strange bed and attending the Dove clinic and enduring the treatment.

I had a consultation on arrival at the clinic with Dr Julian Kenyon who examined my blood under microscope and I was scanned with the Oberon scanner. This showed the tumour site and gave an indication of my immunity levels. I then spent up to 2 hours using a pipette to put the algae under my tongue to ingest. I had been nil by mouth so the droplets ingested well as the idea was not to swallow them. Then I waited for two days for the algae to get to work on reaching the cancerous cells.

The treatment then began with obs taken and then a cannula put into a vein and a quantity of blood was removed; oxygenated and then put back into my vein. Not pleasant but the nursing staff were wonderful at distracting me as this happened. My mum also sat in with me during this procedure and kept me company.
Following this the light bed treatment commenced and for each day the amount of time under the lights increased. The algae having now reached the cancer cells becomes light sensitive and reacts to the light by hopefully being halted in their tracks as it were. This was followed by ultra sound over the tumour site and this treatment was carried out for three days each week. I then consumed the second dose of algae waited a further two days and so the treatment happened in the same way as the 1st week.

I saw Dr Kenyon at the end of the last day if treatment and was looked at under the Oberon scan once again. He said I’m a survivor and if he didn’t know I had cancer he wouldn’t have guessed it by looking at me so it was a good job we were on to it!

I have to return for a follow up consultation once two months have passed to be examined again as it won’t be clear what has happened to the cancer as the effects show the tumours to look bigger following treatment as a reaction to breaking down…. The treatment doesn’t profess to eradicate the tumour in all cases but if it can be stopped in its tracks and a semblance of a quality of life can be regained then this is progress. It might be that I would need a second course of the treatment in the future but I hope not. I don’t know yet what the future holds but I imagine it bright and I picture myself well which is the most essential part of being when fighting cancer. Think positive.

So in the meantime I sleep and follow what my body directs and continue on with my diet of vitamins and fresh fruit and vegetables. Although my energy is low at the moment I assume it needs rest and don’t argue with it.

I would recommend anyone who is going through something similar to read dr Bernie Siegel and do their best to become ‘an exceptional patient’ and don’t leave a stone unturned. Try everything possible don’t believe it when conventional medicine sends you home to die! Keep positive do something you love,whatever that may be, and keep on keeping on!

There are many naturopathic remedies available such as floressence tea, apricot kernels and many foods that are anti cancer such as beetroot, turmeric and berries. I consume these every day it’s time consuming but that is what I hope to have in future – ‘time’.

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make this part of my journey possible through fundraising and such generosity. I couldn’t have done it without your help and good will. So thank you once again.

THANK YOU ALL – YOU HAVE HIT THE TARGET! – £10,002.78 RAISED

11 Oct

WOW! ….. WE HAVE DONE IT!!!

The best possible news for Patricia is to achieve the target amount and thanks to each and every single donor- you have done your bit to raise a huge £10,000 to pay for Patricia’s treatment for her Cancer to help prolong her life – each small or big donation has built to a fabulous total and is now enough to cover the medical process. This takes 2 weeks but there is still the expense of her travel to England and the accommodation for that period to find, so please feel free to help with that too! …………if you can or would like to……..

We have all worked very hard together and thanks to some larger donations recently we have just made the £10,000 target required to give Patricia the treatment she needs at the Dove Clinic.
She will be having the Sonadynamic/Photodynamic Therapy (SPDT)in the next few weeks and we wish her well during the process and we will keep you updated on her progress.

Thank you all

Patricia

MANY THANKS FOR SUPPORTING THE JOHN HEWITT NIGHT

7 Sep

Awesome gig at the John Hewitt last night. Many thanks to the Hard Chargers Jackie Rainey Mari Jackson and Barbara Neeson for performing. Great to see yas all up and dancing it was hard not to with that kinda music! Thanks to you all for your performances and for coming along :)

TONIGHT! – THE GIG NIGHT AT JOHN HEWITT – BE THERE!

5 Sep

Hi thrill seekers.

Wednesday 5th September from 9PM, at the John Hewitt Bar, there will be a superb night of music in aid of the Patricia Locker Charity appeal. We are trying to get a little bit more in her fund so she can get life changing treatment in England for her Cancer. The line up is, The Couth Band, a post rock velvet undergroundy garage band, Barbara Neeson with her Melliflous dulcet tones, Jackie Rainey the extraordinary Belfast musician who knows how to get down and BOOOOOOGIE, the One and only Diva Du jour , MARI JACKSON, and her raunchy roof ripping vocals, and the finale will be the HARD CHARGERS, an awesome band of bluesy bluegrassy foot stomping hoedown hootnannyish typa thang. This will be an AWESOME gig and guess what, IT’S FREE IN, so all you have to do is get there, bring lots of loose change withya and DONATE what you can or we’ll beat you up and steal your lunch money (only joking about the implied physical threat lol).

GIG NIGHT AT THE JOHN HEWITT

31 Aug

Hi thrill seekers.

Wednesday 5th September from 9PM, at the John Hewitt Bar, there will be a superb night of music in aid of the Patricia Locker Charity appeal. We are trying to get a little bit more in her fund so she can get life changing treatment in England for her Cancer. The line up is, The Couth Band, a post rock velvet undergroundy garage band, Barbara Neeson with her Melliflous dulcet tones, Jackie Rainey the extraordinary Belfast musician who knows how to get down and BOOOOOOGIE, the One and only Diva Du jour , MARI JACKSON, and her raunchy roof ripping vocals, and the finale will be the HARD CHARGERS, an awesome band of bluesy bluegrassy foot stomping hoedown hootnannyish typa thang. This will be an AWESOME gig and guess what, IT’S FREE IN, so all you have to do is get there, bring lots of loose change withya and DONATE what you can or we’ll beat you up and steal your lunch money (only joking about the implied physical threat lol).

Going for Gold!

6 Aug

It’s been an amazing weekend watching the Olympics. Usain Bolt caused parts of London to dance in the streets and the cheers to be heard half a mile from the stadium as he raised the roof. Andy Murray caused mass weeping with his gold and Mo Farah made a nation very proud.

But in amongst all the elation and excitement, we’ve been thinking about all the other people whose lives are also so focused and full of hard work and emotional commitment because they are ill. There is no expression more apt than ‘as long as you’ve got your health…’

Hundreds of people each week in the UK are diagnosed with cancer and overnight their lives change. They have to develop the kind of focus of a gold medallist in order to be able to keep the familiarities of their old life and the fear and uncertainty of their new life. They are forced to comtemplate their mortality and become harbingers of doom to those they love, breaking news of bad things. Everything is new and uncertain and you’re set on a path you have no map for as you try to navigate the bureaucracy of sick leave, benefits, the NHS and insurance policies. Emotions are heightened and swirl anxiously as you aim for each event and treatment with a steely-mindedness of a sportsman. Everything takes all your energy at a time when ill health depletes it.

Just like the Olympics are being made so much easier and organised by the GamesMakers who have come out clad in purple and enthusiasm, it’s the other people who have experienced cancer that help ease the difficulty for the those currently fighting it. They offer advice, experience and show that people can and do come through this illness. They are invaluable. Combined with friends and family being supportive, it’s like having that home crowd cheer you on!

In the week that we are receiving so much love and support to raise money for Patricia’s appeal, we want to remind everyone else out there in a similar situation that we’ve thinking of them and although we’re specifically raising money for Patricia, we’re doing the benefit for everyone touched by cancer. Please show your support by coming along or buying tickets or even just asking someone you know in a similar situation what you can do to help. Strength in this situation comes from numbers and we have more to win than medal if everyone helps….

GET THOSE TICKETS BOOKED NOW! DON’T MISS THE BEST GIG OF THIS SUMMER

26 Jul

BENEFIT GIG ON THE BARGE WEDNESDAY 8TH AUGUST 2012  – as mentioned and supported in Belfast Telegraph 25th July

The Barge, 1 Lanyon Quay, just along the river from the Waterfront Hall WEDNESDAY 8TH AUGUST starting around 6.30 until 12.00 midnight.  Book your ticket now ……………..make sure you are part of this event!

Event price includes live music from The Half Stoned Cowboys, The Hard Chargers, DJ Ghost, local poets including Seamus Fox, Colin Hassard, and Peter Francis Fahy and comedy from Shane Horan.  The £30.00 ticket price also includes food in the upstairs Galley Restaurant and Bar and a complimentary drink downstairs in the performance area.  All proceeds for the Locker Appeal Cancer Treatment.

Tickets are available via the Paypal button to the right of this post but please ensure you email us with the number of tickets required to lockerappeal@gmail.com.   Your name will then be included on the guest list for the event.  Please email us for further information on bookings if required……

email not required for donations only!

Please book early to avoid disappointment!

The fun starts here – summer hols!

28 Jun

For those of you visiting this site for the very first time, full information about me, Patricia, is available at the bottom of this page. Just to let people know we are organising a fund raising evening on The Barge  1 Lanyon Quay Belfast on Wednesday the 8th August 2012. It’s an evening of good food, music, poetry and comedy…. All details to be revealed as we get the acts booked.

come and enjoy having a laugh with us!

I hope this will bring us closer to our target so I can get the treatment I need. I’m still in pain and the fatigue makes everything such an effort. Until the next time…. Thank you all for your generous donations.

25 Jun

Patricia’s Diary

I haven’t felt too well the last few days. By Sunday I went to see the out of hours doctors who prescribed an antibiotic. The infection plus fatigue and the side effects of my pain killers have left me feeling completely wiped out and i have slept quite a lot.
There’s much to organise with the fundraising and not as much energy to do it with. Time feels very tight in so many ways……………

Summer Sunshine – come back and please cheer us up!

16 Jun

Here is the way to deal with rain and darker days – Patricia has made the ceramic sun fairy to encourage the sunshine to return for summer

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.