An Ellesmere Port dad battling terminal cancer is hoping to raise £40,000 to cross the German border to receive life-saving treatment.

Bill Brennan, 52, from Ellesmere Port has been given six months to live after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in August.

His heartbroken daughter, Claire Brennan, who lives in Chester, is desperate to help save her dad’s life and has launched a JustGiving page to raise £40,000 which would pay for a cycle of immunotherapy treatment, unavailable to him on the NHS.

Immunotherapy is a pioneering cancer treatment designed to boost the body’s natural defences to fight the disease.

In trials with skin cancer patients, the treatment is believed to have shrank the most aggressive and deadly type in 69 per cent of patients.

The drugs are now being tried on the NHS for a wide range of cancers, however, it is only available to a select few meaning Bill will have to travel to Germany for the treatment.

(right to left) Ruth Brennan next to husband Bill, son Jonathan, three grandchildren, Katie-Mai, Jasmine and Jessica, son-in-law Paul Underwood and daughter Claire
(right to left) Ruth Brennan next to husband Bill, son Jonathan, three grandchildren, Katie-Mai, Jasmine and Jessica, son-in-law Paul Underwood and daughter Claire

More than £7,000 has been raised for Bill so far after the fundraising page was launched on Monday, October 10.

The father and grandfather, who worked for Vauxhall Motors for 27 years before setting up his own loft conversion business with his brother, began chemotherapy treatment on the NHS earlier this month.

However, Claire told the Chronicle the chemotherapy will never be able to cure the cancer.

She said: “Doctors can’t find where the cancer is coming from and told him he’s got six months left to live.

“They have told us the chemo will eventually stop working and it is only to prolong his life - it’s heartbreaking.

“The immunotherapy we are looking into is only available on clinical trials in the UK and even then only 3 to 6 per cent of patients are lucky enough to be accepted.

“German clinics seem to be much more advanced in their approach to treating cancer and at the moment so this is our only hope.

“We’ve heard a lot about this treatment and how successful it has been for other people - it’s known to put patients with terminal diagnosis into complete remission.

“We know this is the only way forward and it has given us that little bit of extra hope.”

Claire said she will do whatever she can to get her dad to Germany for his ‘final chance’ of survival.

(left to right) Bill Brennan with his three grandchildren Katie-Mai, 6, and twins Jasmine and Jessica, 4
(left to right) Bill Brennan with his three grandchildren Katie-Mai, 6, and twins Jasmine and Jessica, 4

“He is the most important person in our world - my brother relies greatly on him, as do we all,” she added.

“We will do whatever we can to give him that final chance to make him better.

“He has three young beautiful grandchildren who adore him - it would break their little hearts if he was no longer with us.

“I know the pain it would cause and I am doing everything I possibly can to avoid that - this means so much to us.”

Claire said the whole family, including Bill’s wife, Ruth, are ‘absolutely astounded by the generosity of the people who have donated’.

“I can’t believe how our community has pulled together to help my dad,” Claire added.

“We will never be able to repay them for what they have done for us.

“All the support has given dad that extra fight and motivation to prove to every person who has donated that he will overcome this cancer.”

Claire added: “If we are unable to raise all the funds we need, we will ensure that every single penny raised goes into research so others don’t have to suffer like my dad.”

To donate visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/GetBillBetter.

More information can be found on the ‘Get Bill Better’ Facebook page.