Family seeking support from the community
For a 43-year-old man with a young family; his wife and two sons, Yarden (9) and Eilon (6), the only option was to fight.
In November 2023 Daniel Lavi noticed a slight weakness in his left arm. “It wasn’t anything dramatic, but enough to be noticeable,” his wife Shai said. The couple did not know at the time that it was the start of a long and invasive diagnostic journey that would lead to a diagnosis of aggressive grade four brain cancer, IDH wildtype glioblastoma (GBM).
For a 43-year-old man with a young family; his wife and two sons, Yarden (9) and Eilon (6), the only option was to fight.
Standard treatment for GBM has not changed in decades and this devastating illness carries an average survival rate of 12-18 months. However, there is a glimmer of hope, a new immunotherapy approach. A cutting-edge gene-based treatment in Germany offers Daniel a chance to fight back against the disease and prolong his life. It is a personalised approach using his own T-cells and tumour cells to develop a vaccine that trains his immune system to recognise tumour cells and create an immune response against them.
Unfortunately, this treatment and associated expenses come at a steep cost. “We have invested $35,000 to start the process with the company that develops the vaccine. However, medical insurance covers only a fraction of the total expense, leaving us in need of support,” explained Shai.
The Lavi family’s My Cause page is seeking $247,498 to ensure the family can navigate the 12-24-month treatment.
This figure is based on the following estimations for the first 12 months: treatment (gene sequencing, vaccine development, immunomonitoring, specialised clinic visits, etc) $182,584; travel (monthly flights and other transportation) $41,424; travel insurance $13,200; accommodation $7283; and meals $3035.
The family moved to Australia from Israel just over five years ago.
Shai said, “Daniel is a marketing leader who has worked in all sorts of industries, primarily e-commerce. I am also a marketing leader. Unfortunately, I recently lost my job as director of global marketing in a round of redundancies at a medical technology company.
“It was both good and bad timing because of our circumstances. I can be a full-time caregiver to Daniel and look after the kids and household as well. At the same time, it has put us in a situation of financial uncertainty amid very large medical expenses.”
Donations are tax-deductible and any amount brings the family closer to their goal and gives Daniel a fighting chance.
“Every donation, regardless of size, is a beacon of hope in this unpredictable and unimaginable journey. We thank you for your kindness and compassion from the bottom of our hearts,” Shai said.
mycause.com.au/p/343192/join-daniels-fight-against-brain-cancer
Instagram @healingdanielsbrain
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