Covid travel restrictions could dash Bubbenhall woman's hopes of completing course of life saving brain cancer treatment

Natalie Paul was aged just 27 when she was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a grade 4 aggressive brain cancer with a very poor prognosis.

A few days later Natalie received lifesaving brain surgery, with the biopsy results confirming the worst scenario – glioblastoma (GBM).

The consultant advised without the operation Natalie would have died within three months.

Following surgery Natalie received radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which kept the tumour at bay till 2019.

Unfortunately, the latest scans she had before Christmas showed further tumour progression, NHS options are now limited so the family are having to look at options abroad.

Natalie's mother Liz said: "America and Germany appear more advanced in looking at pioneering treatment options for brain cancer and we have been able to access treatment at the IOZK clinic in Cologne which incorporates electro hyperthermia and a personalized vaccination made from Natalie’s blood.

"This has to be financed privately and is very costly at around £56K per treatment ( three visits per treatment).

"We are currently crowd funding to finance this, otherwise this would not be an option for us.

"We (myself, husband and daughter) have just returned from our first trip to Cologne and are due to return in just under two weeks.

"On the first trip we attended a private clinic to obtain our Covid PCR tests to be able to travel – these cost £290 per head for a 24 hour turn around to meet the rules to have a negative test within 48 hours of arrival in Germany.

"We are minimising risk by travelling by car so that Natalie’s immune system is not comprised in any way.

"On our return we followed the Government rules and self isolated at home, arranging test to release tests (further £300) 5 days after arrival so we could get out ad walk our dog Sully.

"These costs are bad enough but today we find out in addition to a repeat of the above costs (£1,200) we also now need to pay for a test on day two and day eight on return (so a further £600 to find).

"Given we need to travel out to Germany, potentially every six weeks for the time being, the cost of these Covid tests are going to be a real burden.

"We are already struggling to pay for this life-saving treatment, and the costs associated with these new rules could seriously jeopardise our ability to continue to access it

"Whilst we are fully behind the Government's approach to reducing the spread of Covid, we do feel that there needs to be a more measured approach.

"The Government needs to consider the impact these latest rules have on people who need to travel to access urgent medical treatment.

"We do not have the luxury of choice – if we don’t access treatment now it may be too late for our daughter.

"We are travelling via the safest mode, in our own bubble in a car and are adhering to the myriad of rules and regulations imposed by UK and the other countries we are travelling through to reach Germany.

"We don’t need the extra worry and stress of having to secure extra finances to cover the costs of these additional covid tests.

"This is going to eat into the funds we have managed to raise to help pay for this life saving treatment surely that can’t be right."

To support Natalie’s GoFundMe page visit https://gofund.me/abbab277