Avtar, a 54-year-old father of two from Coventry, was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma brain tumour in December last year after suffering a bout of headaches. The former factory worker has since struggled to walk and suffered a fall due to reduced mobility. Chemotherapy has not produced the results doctors hoped for, and the tumour is growing rapidly.
Diagnosis and Deteriorating Health
Avtar's niece, Amrit Bhambra, told BirminghamLive that doctors have not given him a prognosis on how long he has to live. However, they have confirmed that the current treatment is not shrinking the tumour and that it is growing quite rapidly. After his latest MRI, he was put on a double dose of chemotherapy, which also has not had an effect.
The right side of Avtar's body is deteriorating rapidly, and he is becoming unable to walk. He has since had a fall. The family, who moved to the UK from Italy ten years ago, are now hoping to raise money for Hyperthermia immunotherapy treatment, which costs £3,000 a month.
Family Under Strain
Avtar's two sons, aged 13 and 16, are both devastated. Amrit said they have both lost a considerable amount of weight, along with their mother. His youngest son has become quiet and secluded, struggling to understand why his father's health has deteriorated so rapidly.
His oldest son has tried to take on the parental role, having just finished his GCSEs. He has told his mother she must leave work or take shifts that start when he gets home from school so he can take over caregiving. He flew to Italy himself to seek a second opinion on his father's condition and refuses to leave his father's side for longer than ten minutes.
Due to his mother's limited English, the 16-year-old has had to lead hospital conversations and have tough discussions that a teenager should not be having. He has also been heard saying, 'I need to get a job how are we going to pay the mortgage, I need to help my mum.'
Fundraiser for Treatment
The family has set up a GoFundMe page hoping to raise £24,000. The treatment, led by Doctor Paul Mulholland, could increase the longevity of Avtar's life and potentially help shrink the tumour. The family needs to show they have the funds to support Avtar through the treatment financially before it can begin.
"The effect on his family has been catastrophic," Amrit said. "His family are struggling to watch their once happy father become a frail and dependent at the hands of this disease. They are quickly losing hope, and the clinical trials could give them more time to spend with their beloved father."
