My battle with brain cancer and the hope offered by immunotherapy

I am 48 years old and the father of three wonderful children. My family has always been at the centre of my life. It is very important to me to work, to look after them, and at the same time to enjoy life’s little pleasures together. I love going on trips, cycling, listening to music, reading, and chatting with my children for hours on end. Shared dinners, weekend plans and moments spent together give strength and meaning to everyday life. I never would have thought that one day I’d find myself in a situation where, instead of planning the next family outing, I’d have to plan the fight for my own life, and that I’d have to write lines like these.

In 2024, I started getting headaches that just wouldn’t go away. At the time, I didn’t think much of them; I thought they might be due to my high blood pressure. On 13 August 2025, however, I suddenly felt unwell, fainted, and had four epileptic seizures that day. I was taken to hospital immediately and underwent surgery four days later.

The operation was successful, but the pathology report delivered the words no one ever wants to hear: malignant brain tumour, glioblastoma (WHO grade 4).

This type of tumour is one of the most aggressive known to us. It can return even if all visible parts are successfully removed during surgery, because microscopic cells scattered throughout the brain continue to live on. The average survival time, even with surgery and conventional oncological treatment, is only 10–15 months.

This was one of the darkest moments of my life.

Hope: immunotherapy in Germany

After the surgery and diagnosis, I want to devote all my energy to recovery. I will receive radiotherapy and chemotherapy at home, but unfortunately there is no option in Hungary that would offer a real chance of a longer life.

I looked into it and found out that there is a clinic in Germany where they use personalised immunotherapy. This method is one of the world’s most advanced treatments for glioblastoma. During the therapy, based on samples taken from the tumour and my blood, they prepare an individual vaccine, specifically tailored to me, which ‘awakens’ my immune system to recognise and destroy the tumour cells.

The treatment method used by the clinic has also been featured in Nature, one of the world’s most respected scientific journals, which has detailed the excellent results achieved so far. The significance of the procedure is demonstrated by the fact that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also approved its use.

 The publication can be read here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-51315-8

According to the clinic’s statistics, 95% of patients can expect to survive for at least 32 months, and many are already living for more than 5 years with a good quality of life. For me, this means there is a chance that I will see my children grow up and that we will have many more years together.

Treatment schedule and costs

The therapy consists of several steps:

1. Analysis of tissue and blood samples, followed by the preparation of the peptide chain that forms the basis of the vaccine.

2. Production of the personalised serum.

3. Several days of clinical treatment in Germany.

4. Follow-up booster injections on 10 occasions, every six weeks, also in Germany.

The total duration of treatment is 15–16 months.

Costs:

• the basic treatment costs €80,000

• travel and accommodation: a further approx. €5,000

A total of €85,000 is therefore required.

As this is an experimental clinic, the Hungarian state and the National Health Service unfortunately do not cover the treatment, so we can only raise the funds through donations.

Start of treatment

The clinic in Germany is ready to admit him, but treatment can only begin once the necessary funds are available. The process consists of several steps, each with its own associated costs and duration:

1. Sampling and analysis – A histological sample taken from the tumour and a fresh blood sample must be sent to the clinic.

• The clinic analyses these and produces a personalised peptide chain based on DNA testing.

• Cost: €20,000

• Duration: approx. 3–4 weeks

2. Production of personalised serum – Once the peptide chain is available, serum production can begin.

• Cost: €60,000

• Duration: approx. 2.5–3.5 months

3. First vaccination in Germany – Once the serum is ready, I would receive the first vaccination during a 4–5-day clinical treatment.

4. Booster jabs – Over the next 15–16 months, I would need to travel to Germany a total of 10 times, roughly every six weeks, where I would receive booster jabs and the doctors would continuously monitor and optimise the immune response.

The most important thing now, therefore, is to raise the initial instalment of €20,000 needed to get started, because without this, the treatment cannot even begin.

Why is your help important?

For me, this therapy could mean not just months, but years. Time with my family, my children and my friends. Time to work again and get on with my life.

Every single donation brings me closer to this opportunity.

If you contribute, you’re not just helping to fund a course of treatment, but supporting my life, my future and my family’s hope.

How can you donate?

The donation process is simple and secure:

1. Click on the red ‘Donate’ button.

2. Select the amount (the transfer is made in euros, with no hidden costs).

3. During payment, an option will appear allowing you to support the platform’s operations. This is set to 20% by default, but you are free to adjust it or even set it to zero. It is important to note that this amount does not go to me, but supports the team developing the site.

4. Select your payment method; you can use a credit card or Revolut.

5. If you’d like, you can also provide your email address and name so that I can thank you personally for your help.

6. Finally, click the ‘Donate’ button, and the usual card payment process will begin.

The site does not charge any additional fees; the full amount goes directly towards funding my treatment.

My heartfelt thanks

I know we are living in difficult times, and every bit of support is a huge gift to me. Whether you contribute a small or a large amount, it all brings me closer to having a chance at recovery.

If you have any questions about my story or the treatment options, please feel free to contact me; I’d be happy to discuss it.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me in this fight!

Tamás

[email protected]

+36706178989