Hi, my name is Matt and I am fundraising for my husband Ross.

Just two months ago, Ross was a fit, healthy 43-year-old, living life to the full. Nothing could have prepared Ross, or his friends and family, for how suddenly and devastatingly our lives were about to change.

After finding a lump on his neck and experiencing stomach pain, Ross was suddenly diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer. By the time it was discovered, the cancer had already spread from his bowel to his liver, lymph nodes, lung and spleen. Since then, everything has happened at such speed that we are still struggling to comprehend it.

After going in for his stoma operation, a huge, life-changing procedure, Ross was hoping to be home within a few days to recover and prepare to start chemotherapy. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Due to the size of Ross's tumour in his bowel, the strain it had placed on his liver caused his bilirubin and liver function to become dangerously abnormal. At that point, Ross was told that chemotherapy was no longer possible and was told to consider end-of-life care.

However, thanks to Ross's incredible strength, the outstanding surgical team at the hospital, and two more major procedures, Ross's bilirubin levels began to fall. After his bilirubin dropped from 290 to 130, his wonderful oncology team said it might be possible to attempt chemotherapy at 60% of the normal dose, but at great risk.

Regardless of the honest warning that the chemotherapy itself could potentially kill him, Ross made the incredibly brave decision to go ahead and begin treatment. We are so incredibly grateful that he did.

Ross made it through his first round of chemotherapy. His bilirubin continued to fall and his determination to keep fighting never changed. After four procedures, two blood infections, sepsis, and four long weeks in hospital, Ross started his second round of chemotherapy with his bilirubin levels almost back within the normal range, and he is still smiling.

After further genetic testing, we found out that Ross's cancer carries a mutation called BRAF V600E that causes bowel cancer to behave particularly aggressively. But discovering this also opened the door to a new targeted treatment designed specifically for cancers with this mutation.

A clinical trial called BREAKWATER examined the addition of two targeted cancer medicines, encorafenib and cetuximab, alongside chemotherapy for people with Ross's specific type of cancer. The results have given us genuine hope that combining these medicines with his chemotherapy could significantly improve how well his cancer responds, potentially increasing the odds from 40% to 70%.

Ross, and all of us who love him, understand that no treatment can make promises. But we now have a treatment option that gives us hope. Our aim is that this combination can shrink Ross's tumours enough to make further treatment, and potentially surgery, possible, giving Ross the best opportunity for an extension of life. For the first time since his diagnosis, we have a glimmer of hope for a future beyond stage 4 cancer.

Ross's additional treatment is only available privately at this time and could cost up to $9,000 per month. We do not have the time or resources to raise these funds alone, so we are asking for your help to give Ross the strongest possible chance: to access every available treatment, create new possibilities, and keep fighting for the future he deserves.

Any donation, no matter the amount, will mean more to us than we can express. If you are unable to donate, sharing this page could be just as powerful and may help it reach someone who can.

Thank you for reading Ross's story, for standing beside us, and for helping us fight for his future.

With all our love and gratitude,
Matt, Ross and everyone who loves him x