Help "Whitty" Recover

Our mate Dave Whitfield, “Whitty” has a huge fight ahead and we want to help him win his battle.

Whitty is known to everyone as a man with a heart of gold who loves a chat and would do anything to help his mates and now his mates want to help him.

48 years old with two beautiful children Caleb, 12 and Asha, 10, Whitty has had many difficult years. This is how the story unfolds.

In March 2009 Dave was diagnosed with a brain tumour after suffering severe seizures. The tumour was removed, the surgery went well and the tumour was found to be benign.

By November 2009 the seizures had returned with full force and on average he would suffer 10 seizures a day. The doctors diagnosed the seizures as panic attacks and prescribed anti-depressants. Dave new something was wrong, waking with constant migraines, racked with fear and unable to work.

Dave flew to Sydney at the end of June 2010 to seek further advice and investigation. A scan was performed immediately. The tumour had returned, more aggressive than the last and malignant. He was rushed for an urgent operation, the success unknown as it was wrapped around the main artery of his brain.

Whitty survived the operation with further tests revealing a grade 4 cancer Gliosarcoma. Dave commenced Radiation and Chemotherapy and once again beat this cancer.

It’s now 2017 and after a very stressful Christmas, Dave went to his local GP in March describing his physical and mental state, this was very similar to 2009. The advice from his GP was a referral to seek help for depression, anxiety and panic attacks. Dave knew from previous experience that this was something more.

Dave was booked in for his six monthly MRI two days after seeing his GP. To everyone’s dismay a golf ball sized tumour that was part Gliosarcoma and part Giloblastoma Multiform was discovered. Dave underwent surgery again on Monday 3rd April on the same part of his brain although deeper and more invasive. His Surgeon was unable to take the whole tumour and during the surgery Dave suffered a brain bleed.

This time, his recovery is that much harder and the fight is on once again. Dave will be commencing Radiation and Chemotherapy to beat this cancer as soon as he regains his strength and can leave the hospital. Stress from financial pressures needs to be alleviated so that Whitty can focus on his health.

You will not meet a man with such spirit and will to survive, lets all pull together to help him win this battle.