Devoted dad walking 210 miles to help fund potentially lifesaving cancer test for wife
The devoted husband of a Gornal mother who has been given months to live is desperately trying to raise £3,000 for a potentially lifesaving Scandinavian clinical DNA test.
Jodie Stobbs first experienced pains which led to her heartbreaking prognosis whilst pregnant with her third child last year.
After telling doctors she had a problem swallowing, Oncologists at Russells Hall Hospital discovered she had oesophageal cancer, which had spread to her lungs, liver and lymphatic system. Last June the barmaid was given 14 months to live and was told only palliative care was available, however, she has since had chemotherapy.
She has responded well to treatment, even returning to work at the Red Lion, Lower Gornal, but her cancer remains terminal.
Consultants at the hospital told the couple about laboratory in Denmark, which takes part of the primary tumour to check the DNA for potential mutations in the cancer cells which could be differently treatment. If successful this could give Jodie some extra years with husband Mike and children Jamie, 17, Niamh, 12 and Aoife, eight months.
The family needs to raise £3,000 to pay for the clinical test and friends have created a fundraising page on www.justgiving.com.
Mike told the Express & Star: "This is the best chance we have got to extend Jodie's life and we have not got much time.
"So to raise money I am walking from St James Park, Newcastle to the Red Lion, Lower Gornal, starting next Saturday. I'm not the fittest fella in the world and if I'm honest I thought 'its just walking, how hard can it be' but its basically doing eight marathons in eight days.
"And the Beast from the East looks like it will be blowing a gale during the walk, but I've said I'm going to do it and have got my mate Les Hickens, who gets out of breath walking the road, to do it with me."
He added: "There are no guarantees that Jodie’s biomarker will have an immunotherapy drug available but we have to try.
"The test costs £3,000 and takes around three weeks from start to finish, time is one thing we don’t have, and although she thinks I'm for doing it I don't even have a choice, and I'd walk to the ends of the earth for her if I thought it could help."
The 41-year-old tarmaccer, who moved to the Black Country from Newcastle 20 years ago after meeting Jodie, added: "I have to do everything I possibly can to give her the greatest possible chance at this fight."
The Gornal couple tied the knot in November after 19 years together in an emotional ceremony in front of friends and family.
He said: "It took me 19 years to walk up the aisle but I'm planning to walk from Newcastle to Gornal in a week, you couldn't make it up, but I'd do anything for Jodie."
By Sunday morning Mike had raised more than £3,500. Justgiving.com
