We were proud to launch our hard-hitting Stop the Devastation campaign this week, and have worked closely with brain tumour patients and people who have lost a loved one to share their stories in order to raise awareness of the shocking statistics surrounding the disease.
Among those starring in the campaign is Eddie Ruggiero, who was forging a career as a drag queen when he collapsed and was diagnosed with a high-grade anaplastic astrocytoma brain tumour in 2017. Given a prognosis of three to five years, he now feels he is living on borrowed time. Eddie underwent surgery and follow-up treatment. A life-threatening infection meant the removal of part of his skull. He chose not to continue with chemotherapy.
He said: “The treatment made me so ill and I can’t understand why in this age of modern medicine the treatment options available for people like me – cut it out, poison it, burn it – are so barbaric, more barbaric than the disease itself. I want to have the best quality of life for whatever time I have left. I have been offered reconstructive surgery, but the truth is, at the moment, I would rather live with a big dent in my skull than go through another operation. It’s certainly a talking point and if I can use it to raise awareness of how things are for patients like me that is a positive thing.”
You can help spread the word by joining our #NoMore social media campaign. Click here to find out more.
Please donate today to help Stop the Devastation.
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