Greg Gilbert to use crowdfunded money for cancer treatment not available on NHS

As has previously been reported in the Echo, Greg was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer that had spread to his lungs in November 2016.

His fiancée, Stacey Heale, launched a huge fundraising campaign to pay for lifesaving treatment for him, not available on the NHS, which passed its initial £100,000 target in 48 hours, becoming one of the fastest ever campaigns on the Go Fund Me crowdfunding website.

The Give4Greg campaign has now raised more than double the initial target.

It propelled Greg into the spotlight; at one point, he was even trending on Twitter and his story was spread across the media.

Now, he has revealed that his latest scan, following a break from treatment after a course of chemotherapy last year, shows that although the tumour in his bowel has not grown back at all, the lesions in his lungs are slightly bigger and there are more of them.

Greg, 41, from Bitterne Park, Southampton, has received all his treatment so far on the NHS.

But now he is going to use some of the money raised.

He will soon embarking on a course of chemotherapy with a drug, Avastin, paid for by the Give4Greg fundraising campaign.

The father of two spoke of his gratitude to those who have donated and made this possible.

Announcing the scan results on social media, Greg said:"Obviously this is scary but it falls within expectations and I will commence another bout of chemo in a couple of weeks. Touchingly, my oncologist has taken into account my art and music and has suggested an alternative form of chemo that won't impact my hands so much.

"This will involve Avastin, a drug unavailable on the NHS but, thanks to the unbelievable generosity of people, we can actually afford.

"Whilst the next few months will be hard I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have this option and, once again, am stunned at how the availability of something that could be a life saving option for many is entirely predicated on money.

"So, onwards. Lots of love to my friends, family and kind supporters, without whom this experience would be almost unbearably lonely."

In interviews with the Echo, Greg has said how fortunate he is that he has the option of paying for treatment and how unfair it is that a lack of funding means that similar options are not available for other cancer patients.

In a further post, Greg has expressed his fears for the future of the NHS.

He said: "In the year since (my diagnosis) I've been dazzled with kindness and generosity but I've also been devastated to watch the dismantling of the NHS.

It seems that telling people your life is in the balance is still not enough to have them raise their voices. I can't tell you how crushing it feels to have shared the horror of that initial prognosis and, in essence, for it to be met with 'sorry, but, immigrants...'.

"I am genuinely scared what 2018 holds for the NHS."

Greg's fiancée Stacey, shares his sense of gratitude and concerns for the NHS.

She said: "Yesterday we were back at the hospital for the first time in a long time, so much so that even our favourite nurses didn't recognise Greg, now he has put on some healthy weight and his hair has grown (into his dream 1950's rockabilly quiff).

"So we now know that the tumours in Greg's lungs have grown and there are now a few more. Chemo starts again with gusto in three weeks. I am ready to start this fight again.

"I feel humbled that we are in a position to pay for the treatment Greg will be getting. To think that for others we were sat next to in the waiting room, that wouldn't be an option; it makes me feel sick to know this.

"Health and life should not be down to money. This will be the same if we move to a private insurance system, some people won't be able to afford a premium.

"Screw privatising the NHS, we need it."

Stacey writes a weekly column for the Echo, Postcards from the Storm, which is published in our Tuesday Lifestyle section and on the Daily Echo website.

See her column for more reaction on Greg's treatment.