‘I was diagnosed with cancer but now I can have immunotherapy in my garden’ | UK | News
A retired school principal can enjoy immunotherapy in his garden shed as a hospital pioneers life-saving cancer treatments for Britons.
Des Burns, 67, was first diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2018, shortly before he retired, and is now receiving immunotherapy to keep the cruel disease at bay – but having him at home makes treatment more comfortable.
Since 2015, Manchester’s Christie Hospital has been the first to offer nurses visiting people with cancer to provide vital treatment and Des is now the 50,000th ‘at home’ patient.
And he showed Daily Express readers how he even received his treatment in a cosy cave in his garden shed last Christmas – while his living room was being redecorated.
The drug Avelumab that Des uses at home in Bury, Greater Manchester, is given once every two weeks as a drip into a vein over about 60 minutes.
The married father of two told us: “As well as having more time for my family and the things I enjoy, undergoing treatment at home is great for my mental wellbeing.
“I don’t have to worry about getting stuck in rush hour traffic on my way to the hospital or finding a parking space. And I don’t get stuck in a long queue at the hospital waiting for treatment!”
“It takes a lot of the stress out, especially when you’re on long-term treatment for five years or more. Not having to go to Withington Hospital is a huge relief when it’s snowing or raining.
“I am very active, but if someone is more fragile, this kind of service must make a big difference to them.
“When I learned that my treatment would be the 50,000th performed by the team since 2015, I really became aware of the number of people affected by cancer.
“It’s incredible, it’s 50,000 times that someone hasn’t had to travel for their treatment, and that must take some pressure off the hospital team. I’m now going to continue with this treatment for as long as it continues to work.
“I am incredibly grateful to everyone in the NHS who cared for and treated me in urology, the surgeons, the oncologists, the rehabilitation team, the chemotherapy and immunotherapy team and the ‘home’ team.
Des was first diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2018, shortly before his retirement.
He explained: “I was in Ireland when I first knew something was wrong. I was going to the toilet a lot but I just thought I needed antibiotics.
“I then saw that there was blood in my urine, and a lot of it. I went to see my GP and I followed an accelerated treatment for cancer.
“From Easter onwards it all happened really quickly. I had surgery in June at North Manchester General Hospital and they saved my bladder.
“I was then referred to the Christie in July and started my first round of chemotherapy in August. I also had radiotherapy at the Christie.
“Despite the initial shock of the diagnosis, I never lost hope. Every healthcare professional I met told me there was something that could be done, and I was able to maintain a reasonable quality of life during treatment.”
For three years, Des was cancer-free, but a later scan showed the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes, so he needed more radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
This helped him and in the spring of 2023 he switched to immunotherapy which he has been taking at home since last fall.
He added: “It leaves me a little tired for a day or two afterwards, but generally I can go out for a walk and enjoy my life.
“My wife Roz has been fantastic throughout the process and has never complained. My son and daughter, Andrew and Sinead, have also been very kind and supportive.”
When his living room was decorated for Christmas, he even received his treatment in his comfortable garden shed, sitting in his comfortable armchair.
He continued: “The nurses who come in are very professional but also incredibly caring, attentive, helpful and reassuring. They are also great company while I am receiving my treatment.”
The Christie has been pioneering home-based treatments for cancer patients since 2015 and offers the most comprehensive range of drug treatments in the UK. It treats more patients at home than any other cancer centre in the UK.
In 2023-24, the Christie at Home service provided 8,466 treatments in patients’ homes.
The Christie Home Service currently provides 10 medications to patients with a variety of cancers including lung, breast, melanoma, kidney and urology.
Patients generally become eligible for home treatment after two treatments in a healthcare facility, unless they have had an adverse reaction to treatment.
Each Christie at Home nurse can typically treat around seven patients per day. The service has 14 Christie at Home nurses, a senior nurse who manages the service and two support staff.
Crawford Meek, Chief Nursing Officer at Christie at Home, said: “Our patients say this service makes a huge difference to them and they often look forward to a visit from one of our friendly nurses.
“This service allows patients to spend time with friends and family and do the things they enjoy. It also takes away much of the stress of traveling to our treatment centers.”
