In August 2012 only 5 days before his 60^th birthday, Ashley was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma, an uncommon type of lymphoma. He had not felt unwell or experienced any signs before the diagnosis, other than night sweats, which he assumed was due to male menopause.

Ashley’s initial diagnosis was stage 3-4 cancer, a PET scan showed it had spread throughout his body, centring in his spleen. He began chemotherapy in two different stages, Monday to Friday with two-week intervals between doses.

“No one can prepare you for the chemo journey, as it is an individual one that is physically and emotionally draining” - Ashley

His concentrated chemotherapy finished in December 2012, and he was diagnosed as being in remission. To everyone’s surprise he returned to work fulltime at the end of December 2012. In 2013 Ashely received monthly doses of medication, and then in 2014 it was bi-annually and since 2^nd February 2015 he has not received any medication.

“I have been in remission for 9 years now and enjoy a very happy and healthy lifestyle with my wife and family.” – Ashley

Ashley thanks the ongoing care he has received from Professor Ross Baker and the staff at Western Haematology & Oncology clinic through monthly infusions of antibodies. He explains Professor Baker’s amazement that the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma has not returned, and that he attributes this to a very positive attitude.

---

Nearly 10 years after his original diagnosis and over seven years since finishing treatment, Ashley’s cancer has returned. He was given the diagnosis in mid-October 2022 and decided to take immediate action. Later in the month Ashley joined a clinical trial at PBI, and his early results on the trial are positive.