IT’S been a long road for Griffith’s Chris Brugger in the fight to beat lymphatic cancer.
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Last Friday following a scan doctors revealed that he was in remission.
But for Mr Brugger, who was first diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, in 2008 and relapsed in 2011 and again in July last year, the battle is far from over.
He will head to Sydney next Tuesday to start a bone marrow transplant from a donor from Germany.
“It’s been a long road so far and as much as what I’ve been through has been tough what’s next will be worse,” Mr Brugger said.
“I had a stem cell transplant in 2011 and it was really, really tough.
“While it’s great to get to remission it’s not over by a long shot. My biggest hurdle is ahead.”
Mr Brugger’s wife Naomi is expecting their second child in April, which means he won’t be able to attend the birth.
“At this stage unfortunately I’ll miss out on the birth,” he said.
“This is to try and cure it. I’m aiming to be here for the long term.
“I’m blown away knowing that a stranger on the other side of the world has donated his bone marrow. I’m very humbled and thankful.”
As part of Mr Brugger’s treatment heart and lung tests will be carried out before a central line is put in so he can start conditioning chemotherapy.
The infusion of donor cells will take place on Friday, March 7.
Mrs Brugger said to hear doctors say her husband was in remission was “surreal”.
“I don’t think we have absorbed it yet,” she said.
“They couldn’t find a perfect donor and it’s a pretty risky procedure.
“It is a positive step towards a cure. It means he has a 50/50 shot.”