One day while working out, Ian noticed a small bump on his neck. At first, he was reluctant to have a biopsy, but when the lump grew to the size of a grapefruit, it was the only option.
In November 2019, the biopsy revealed Ian’s diagnosis to be large B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma with a gene complication that indicated it could be resistant to the standard treatment.
Ian was immediately placed under the care of Dr. Michael Crump at The Princess Margaret. His treatment plan included six infusions of chemotherapy and when that was unsuccessful, Dr. Crump recommended a stem cell transplant, which saved Ian’s life.
“It was a great privilege for me to receive that stem cell transplant, and to have been treated with such care and grace by Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and its heroic angels that make it all happen.”
Ian is thrilled to report that he is now N.E.D. (no evidence of disease) and feeling well. “I just celebrated my 71st birthday in November and I’m feeling ridiculously well,” says Ian. “I am in awe of The Princess Margaret. Every step of my treatment was managed seamlessly and with great efficiency. Every person treated me with compassion, respect and dignity, and I do not believe that any facility in the world could outperform them.”
To give back and help more people like him, Ian started his Acorns to Great Oaks fundraiser, to help build a novel cellular therapy centre at The Princess Margaret. The new centre will help more people like Ian receive life-saving cancer treatment and care by increasing access to stem cell transplants, CAR T-cell therapy, and other immune therapies.
So far, Ian and his community of supporters have raised over $600K, more than half of his $1.2M fundraising goal.
“We have this gem of an organization right on our doorstep, which is indisputably one of the greatest cancer research and treatment centres in the world,” says Ian. “On top of that, the personalized and quality care that you receive is incredible. There’s no better incentive to raise funds for them than that.”
Help more patients like Ian by supporting The Princes Margaret’s new novel cellular therapy centre at https://supportthepmcf.ca/ui/rosmarin/p/AcornstoGreatOaks.
For more information or to make a gift by wire transfer, a gift of securities, a multi-year pledge, or receive a US tax receipt, please contact Malka Greene, Director, Major Gifts.
Contact
Malka Greene
Director, Major Gifts
Published March 18, 2022