Dunboyne man’s hope to access life saving treatment in Turkey
The daughter of a Dunboyne man who is was diagnosed with renal cancer last year is appealing for help in order to access life saving treatment in Turkey.
Konstantin Teresko (52), received the devastating news just last year that he renal cancer after finding urine in his blood. He initially responded well to immunotherapy treatment with the original tumour shrinking considerably, however, after Konstantin, originally from Estonia started chemotherapy in February of this year, the cancer began to grow significantly metastasising into his lungs, liver, and L3 vertebrae.
According to his daughter Catherina the cancer has progressed in the past few months and doctors have made the decision to not continue immunotherapy treatment for her father and instead opt for palliative care.
"All had gone well with immunotherapy but in January of this year, dad suddenly started feeling pain in his back which was slowly growing. He talked to his doctors and they immediately told him to go to the hospital.
"He lay there for three weeks and during that stay he got radiotherapy into the L3 vertebrae which turns out had received a metastasis from the cancer which was pushing on the vertebra – compressing it 40 per cent, and which was also pinching a nerve. He got one sessions of radiotherapy and doctors sent him home."
But a week later, the Dunboyne man felt a strong painful spasm in the back and was unable to move as Catherina explains:
"The ambulance brought him to the hospital and he lost the mobility of all but his hands. A couple teams worked with him and eventually, a neurologist found the pinched nerve causing pain. A pain team from the hospital made an injection into that L3 vertebrae to numb the pain but it was not fully successful - he could walk with an aluminium frame, but the pain was still very present.
"Two weeks later he talked again to his doctors, they applied another injection which was finally successful and he can now walk with a cane."
Last month, Konstantin once again found blood in his urine and spent a further five weeks in hospital receiving radiation treatment.
"He is currently physically weak from lying in the hospital for four weeks and I have started the gofundme to help in costs and for alternative treatment," said Catherina
"Because of mobility issues caused by the tumour in the vertebrae, Dad was forced to retire from his job and has been unemployed since March 2023. His wife Renata also had to leave her job to take care of him and look after the youngest children, who are just six and one."
Konstantin, a usually active and busy man has had to let what he loves doing the most take the back seat, something that has been difficult.
"My dad is a strong and kind man. He takes care of his family in any way he can. He cares for his community and was very passionate about his job before he had to quit.
"He was very into fishing, he used to go to Mayo to fish with his friends. He'd always come back with way too much fish, we'd never have enough space for it! He gave all his fishing gear to my brother now that he probably won't be able to fish for a while.
"He's also very interested in knife sharpening. He researched about all the correct techniques and now has an entire corner in his office for it. He is always asking our friends if they have any dull knives he could sharpen!
"Unfortunately, he can't do any of those hobbies anymore now that the illness took over. Nowadays he has to be lying or sitting down for most of the day, otherwise he gets tired. He still goes on walks and does exercises to strengthen his muscles though."
"Currently, we are talking to a clinic in Turkey, and exploring some potential options in Israel and Germany for treatment," said heartbroken Catherina. "My dad was very happy with the original treatment Irish medicine was giving him but now they’re not acting so he’s afraid he’s not going to get the help he needs."
Catherina is hoping to raise €40,000 to access treatment abroad as she explains:
"There are some great options for his type of cancer but, in Turkey, the doctors said it would take at least €8k to just get there and arrange an examination, after which the actual treatment will cost two or three times more. If the clinics in Israel or Germany agree to help, those treatments will cost even more.
"We have applied to many disability schemes and welfare services to help cover living costs, but nothing has happened yet even though months have passed. The family is running low on savings and stressed about rent payments on top of everything else."