Our Maternity Support Worker Tiffany Ferdinand has launched a desperate fund-raising campaign to send her fiancé abroad for treatment for a rare cancer – diagnosed three days before his 30th birthday.

Her fiancé Nathan Lewis has an aggressive, rare neck tumour – caused by a genetic condition neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) which also affects their son and daughter.

Tiffany and her family and friends have started the campaign to get Nathan treatment in Germany after an oncologist there told them of a treatment which may work. Doctors here say the condition is not curable and have ruled out further surgery in the UK because they don’t think it will shrink enough.

She said:  “We have read about many patients who have been diagnosed as terminal and have been to the clinic and are now cured or on the verge of being cured.

“Obviously we want to send Nathan there, but it is going to cost in the region of £50,000 so we are trying to fundraise and need this money as a matter of urgency”.

A raft of fundraising activities has raised almost £10,000 to date including:

·         gofundme and justgiving pages set up and shared widely on social media and in the local press

·         The Verve nightclub in Huddersfield did an event which raised almost £1500

·         Bradford Council staff raised almost £2500 by running a curry challenge (Nathan used to work there, and his brother still does)

And on 4 February the Top Club in Deighton, Huddersfield, will be holding a charity event in conjunction with Local Services 2 You.

Tiffany added “I’m so grateful for all the support we’ve had and we’re still getting donations every couple of days. It’s been a truly devastating time for us all…we have to remain hopeful that we can get this treatment for Nathan”.

If you want to support Tiffany and Nathan you can visit their just giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/NathanLewis

**The couple have also discovered Nathan’s son Thiago also has the gene and has developed tumours but these are non-cancerous and he is being monitored. Their five year old daughter Sienna also has the condition, though thankfully she has no serious problems.

Also...thanks to the Huddersfield Examiner for allowing us to use the photo of Nathan and Thiago.