Dad just wants to see his daughter grow up - US is last hope for cure

Jok McDonald, who grew up in Kettlethorpe, was diagnosed with gray zone lymphoma in January.

He has had three different types of treatment but each time the cancer has remained and his chance of survival has decreased.

Now wife Judy is raising money to help him get potentially life-saving treatment in America.

Mr McDonald, dad to Emily, four, has recently completed 15 sessions of radiotherapy to try and shrink the tumours so he can have a stem cell transplant to help treat the disease.

Mrs McDonald, who grew up in Ryhill, said: “If it does not shrink, the transplant cannot be done, and we don’t think there is any more hope in England unless any medical trials become available.

“We are getting really desperate and Jok just wants to see our daughter grow up.

“He can have the stem cell transplant in America, even if the tumours don’t shrink, so we want to raise money for flights and accommodation to give Jok that last hope of being cured.

“If it turns out the radiotherapy has shrunk Jok’s tumours, we will donate all the money to lymphoma research.”

The family, who now live in Darton, are hoping Mr McDonald, who now only has a 30 per cent chance of surviving the cancer, would be accepted on a stem cell trial in America, which would mean the treatment itself would be free.

But if not, the cost of the initial consultation alone would be around £30,000 to £40,000.

Mrs McDonald said: “It would be amazing if he went into remission and we got our lives back.”

She added: “Jok used to be so fit and loved playing with Emily, which he can’t do anymore and that really gets him down.

“The cancer also affects him physically as his immune system is very low and he is often exhausted.”

To donate to the family, visit www.gofundme.com/u85duuef