10 December 2023 , 16:03
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A dad is facing celebrating his last Christmas with his family after 'personality changes' were revealed to be symptoms of cancer.
Sam Bravo-Hibberd from Cambridgeshire, was told he had just 12 weeks to live when he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, glioblastoma (GBM), in September.
Now, his devastated wife Mauricee has started a fundraising campaign for alternative treatments abroad and is selling the family car, hoping to raise £100,000 for immunotherapy treatments offered by CeGat, a genetic research clinic in Germany.
Sam's family are preparing for what may be his last Christmas (Brain Tumour Research / SWNS)Mauricee, aged 37, spoke to CambridgeshireLive and said: "I'm in touch with the wife of a GBM survivor who was able to have Optune, immunotherapy and CeGat treatment because of money raised through crowdfunding. I didn't want to go down the route of asking other people for money but, after she suggested it, my sister persuaded me to swallow my pride for the sake of my children.
"People have already been very generous and we are so grateful, but we are still a long way off where we need to be in order to pursue treatments privately without compromising our children's future and financial stability. I'm currently selling our car and a few more significant possessions and investments but we would be grateful for any donations to help ensure this isn't our last Christmas as a family."
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Mauricee noticed personality changes for over a year before his diagnosis which put a toll on their marriage and family. Sam suffered from headaches, taste auras and confusion for about two weeks before his devastating diagnosis. He was given just eight to 12 weeks to live and was referred to palliative care, but sought a second opinion privately and underwent an open biopsy. After having around 30 per cent of his tumour debulked, he is now undergoing radiotherapy. But Mauricee is desperately trying to buy him more time with her and their children, Theo, 13, Gabriel, two, and Alejandria, who was born in July.
Mauricee, from Peterborough, said: "We had a normal, comfortable, albeit somewhat hectic, family life until suddenly we didn't. I really miss that now, the blissful chaos, manic mornings prepping for work, school and nursery, Sam and our boys playing football in the garden as I watched from the kitchen. We used to take our kids to quite a lot of after school clubs, which we've had to cancel since Sam's diagnosis. Gabriel played football with a local club and Theo had acting club, cadets and karate.
"Sam used to do most of the running around because he worked locally in recruitment whereas I have a substantial role in healthcare about an hour away and work longer hours. I'm currently on maternity leave having had our daughter three months ago and am now also Sam's full-time carer. Our lives feel like a living nightmare."
Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager from the charity Brain Tumour Research, said: "Sam's heartbreaking story is a stark reminder of the indiscriminate nature of brain tumours, which can affect anyone at any time. They kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002."
"We're determined to change this but it's only by working together we will be able to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, find a cure. We wish Sam and Mauricee a very special Christmas with their children." You can donate here.
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