I learned about the disease in the fall of 2024. In December, I heard the diagnosis that completely changed my life – pancreatic cancer.

I had been under constant medical supervision for 17 years following kidney removal surgery for clear cell carcinoma. I took good care of my health and had regular checkups, so the news of another tumor came as a huge surprise. It turned out to be a metastasis from the kidney removed many years earlier.

First symptoms – vomiting, followed by jaundice Noticed by my friend, it prompted me to seek further diagnosis. Tests revealed a tumor in the head of the pancreas and a bile duct obstruction. An endoscopic procedure with the insertion of a prosthesis was necessary, which was associated with serious complications and a lengthy hospital stay.

The hardest moment came at the end of December, when, after a biopsy, I received the final diagnosis. Pancreatic cancer turned my world upside down.

I knew that a long and very expensive road awaited me. I wanted to take it not only for myself, but above all for my loved ones, whom I want to support and with whom I dream of spending the next few years. Doctors emphasized from the beginning that the tumor is inoperableSo we looked for different solutions, but each one confirmed that my case is extremely difficultThe initial plan was immunotherapy, but before it could be initiated, the disease progressed faster than expected.

At the turn of the year, I was hospitalized in very serious condition due to a hemorrhage. I spent many days there, undergoing a series of interventions. When it seemed the time had finally come to begin immunotherapy, my body was too weakened, so the doctors decided to start with radiotherapy. Thanks to my family, I was able to begin treatment in Gliwice, where in February 2025 I underwent a course of palliative radiotherapy.

After that my condition started to deteriorate rapidly - I started to feel high fevers, infections, inability to eat or drinkOnce again I was hospitalized for many weeks. A serious operation was necessary – a gastro-intestinal bypass.e – to allow me to eat. For a while, my family and I felt a semblance of peace, and in May, we were able to begin the long-awaited immunotherapy. Unfortunately, after the first cycle, serious complications arose: fever, jaundice, biliary obstruction and sepsis.

In Poland, doctors were no longer offering any solutions. Then, determined to find help, my daughter turned to one of the best clinics in Europe specializing in pancreatic cancer treatment – the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon. After a consultation, we were told that the surgery should have been performed a year earlier. Despite the enormous risks, we decided to pursue treatment abroad.

On August 20, 2025, I underwent surgery in Lisbon. The source of the sepsis (a metal bile duct prosthesis) was removed, a hepatojejunal anastomosis was performed, and an attempt was made to remove the tumor. Unfortunately, the infiltrates were already too extensive, and my body was severely exhausted. The surgery was interrupted after massive hemorrhage, and my hospital stay was prolonged due to postoperative complications.

In September, I returned to Poland. My only remaining options are to continue immunotherapy or begin targeted therapy, which, if effective, could allow me to return to Lisbon and attempt another surgery. Unfortunately, my current doctor in Poland refused to continue treatment and offered no alternative. After returning from Lisbon, we were left to our own devices.

After a difficult surgery in Lisbon that saved my life and allowed me to remove the source of sepsis, I'm slowly regaining my strength. This has opened up the possibility of further treatment. The recommendations of the specialists at the Champalimaud Foundation are clear: continued immunotherapy is necessary. If my body doesn't respond adequately, the next step will be targeted therapy. The goal of the therapy is to halt the progression of the disease and shrink the tumor so that further surgery to remove it is possible in the future.

Immunotherapy is currently my best chanceUnfortunately, I can't count on systemic support in Poland, so I have to look for opportunities to continue therapy on my own – my next destination is Warsaw.

The costs of treatment are enormous. The surgery in Lisbon alone, along with an extended hospital stay, cost approximately €74,000. Travel and accommodation expenses in Portugal add up to approximately 30,000 złoty. The Lisbon Foundation has agreed to installment payments, but without the help of kind-hearted individuals, we cannot afford such enormous costs.

Additionally, in Poland I will have to face further expenses – private visits to specialists, travel to treatment centers and a specialized diet to support my body.

Every złoty brings me closer to continuing treatment and a chance to halt the disease. My greatest dream is to regain my health so I can spend many more years with my family. I would like to watch my grandchildren grow up and be there for them when they need support and a kind word. I dream of ordinary moments – a shared dinner, a walk, a chat over tea.