Mesothelioma Cancer & Lung Disease

My Mesothelioma story – Keith Turnbull

My name is Keith Turnbull and I am 65 years old in May I was diagnosed with Mesothelioma in October 2008 following a VATS procedure and a biopsy in Harefield Hospital Middx. My Oncologist at Watford General Hospital where I had originally been an inpatient gave me no hope and offered me no treatment other than palliative chemotherapy which would only prolong my life by 3 months and would probably leave me totally deaf as I already have no hearing in one ear and less than perfect hearing in the other. I was very despondent about the outcome and returned home having been told to just make the most of what life I had left. My daughter Lise noticing how despondent I was searched the internet for help and found out about Professor Vogl’s work via Facebook and Debbie Brewer’s Blog. Lise contacted Debbie for further information and talked to Professor Vogl regarding my situation. After examining my scans sent to him from my son-in-law he decided I was a suitable candidate for his Research Programme and offered for me to go to Germany and talk to him regarding Chemoembolisation. Debbie had also mentioned Mistletoe therapy at Park Attwood Clinic near Kidderminster as being part of the whole package as it would kick – start my immune system. I talked to Dr Orange the Consultant Oncologist and Director at Park Attwood and he convinced me to go to Kidderminster and undergo the Mistletoe therapy prior to undergoing Chemoembolisation as both he and Professor Vogl were in agreement that the two treatments worked better in tandem. I decided to consult with the Consultant and Surgeon at Harefield to see if there was anything that could be done on the NHS as by this stage I was no longer able to work, however, he could offer me no other hope than an E.P.P. and this only as a matter of last resort. At this stage I was emotionally upset and in a depressed state as was my wife Judith so it took a few months to get my head round the idea of trying something new, not available on the NHS and moreover not in the UK.

Eventually with some cajoling from my daughter, my wife and the rest of our family I was persuaded to try out the Mistletoe therapy on a private basis at a cost of several hundred pounds a visit and with great trepidation my wife, my son-in-law, and I, flew to Germany to see Professor Vogl for a consultation in August 2009 as at this stage I felt I had nothing to lose. Within the hour he suggested that I should have a MRI Scan to be swiftly followed up by the Chemoembolisation treatment. Consequently I didn’t have time to have any doubts about what I was about to do, especially as my wife and son-in-law had travelled with me and my son-in-law had taken time off work and I felt I couldn’t let them down. We paid the money over and I went off for the treatment. Although not painful it was definitely uncomfortable and I was glad when it was over and I was taken to a ward to recover. This took approximately 5 hours and then I had a CT Scan before I could leave the clinic .Professor Vogl told us that he wouldn’t be able to tell us how the treatment had gone until my next scheduled visit the following month.

I have now had 4 monthly sessions of Chemoembolisation preceded by the Mistletoe therapy at a cost of 4,000 euros a time for the German treatment, this is not including the flights for myself, my wife or my daughter who has accompanied me on the last 3 visits or the hotels in which we have stay. In order to come with me and to support my wife my daughter has now given up work as it was proving more difficult to find childcare for our two grand-daughters. Consequently we are all undergoing financial hardship at present and my wife has resorted to fundraising to pay for my treatment as the original government payment of £17,000 that I received due to contracting Mesothelioma almost certainly via my father whilst he worked for the local Cape Universal Asbestos Company has disappeared through funding all those Chemoembolisation treatments. This leaves a bitter taste in my mouth as that money was supposed to help to provide for me for the rest of my life however long or short it may be and pay for any aids I might require due to the nature of my illness. I am now reduced to paying for any further treatments by way of my savings and friends and family have been generous with their donations but that can’t last for ever Professor Vogl ‘s research and treatment has improved my quality of life to such an extent that each time I go to Germany my breathing has improved and the cancer cells have reduced significantly and the last time I went in November 2009 Professor Vogl told me that the “cancer had been rendered inactive” which was a wonderful feeling, especially as he told me that I didn’t have to go again until this month (3 months later) and that unless deemed necessary I will only be having a MRI and CT scan.

It is so hard to believe that I’m still alive as I was told by the Consultant in Harefield last year that he would only expect me to live 6 months so it’s due to Professor Vogl and his brilliant research programme that I am alive today. If only this treatment was available in the UK and on the NHS, as the procedure is actually carried out here for Liver Cancer patients so it can’t be rocket science, many more innocent victims of this terrible cancer could have some hope for the future. As it is we just have to keep hoping that our savings will last as long as we need treatment to stay alive.

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