BRETT’S INSPIRATION TO SUPPORT OTHERS
Brett is the Tokyo Guinea Pig – the “luckiest unlucky bastard” that has survived two very rare and highly aggressive cancers.
Diagnosed with NK (Natural Killer) T-Cell Lymphoma in 2016 he was given approximately three weeks to live without treatment. But with determination, un-wavering trust in his expert medical team and a worldwide collaborative treatment plan Brett achieved the unachievable, remission – only to get hit with a second highly aggressive bone cancer diagnoses three months later. His second battle with a rare bone cancer normally reserved for children was also a battle that Brett won and he has been cancer free since April 2017.
Brett was ultimately diagnosed by a Tokyo Specialist with a cancer that is typically not see outside of Asia – and he was treated, and cured, by an intensive chemo and radiation regime that had never been tried before.
Led by Dr Trish Walker, Brett’s life was saved by a team of talented and hardworking “angels” – by hundreds of doctors, nurses and hospital medical staff – as well as by family, friends and loved ones.
But these abridged “cliff notes” of Brett’s arduous journey just touch the surface of what this business plan aims to achieve.
The gratitude that Brett has for his “crew” is difficult to express and Thank You seems inadequate. Tokyo Guinea Pig, and its dedication to giving back, is Brett’s way of expressing that gratitude – and at the same time allow him to live a life and operate a business that he is passionate about.
“At Tokyo Guinea Pig – You Will Never Walk Alone!”
BELIEVE IN HOPE
Don’t Live in Fear
BRETT IS PASSIONATE
In Supporting People
BRETT IS DETERMINED
To Help
Brett’s Motivation For a Charity
Brett’s story is vital to the intent of the business, of the brand, and of Brett.
Brett has been the owner/operator of Southern Concrete Landscape Constructions, for the past 23 years. This experience as a business owner has given him the knowledge required to operate a successful commercial endeavour and it has also provided him with a large network of potential sponsors for Tokyo Guinea Pig.
It’s fair to say Brett knows how to earn a living, but it is his battle with cancer(s) that has given him the understanding of what living really is. Brett’s passion isn’t in concreting – it is in helping people – and if he can ease the suffering of just one child (or person) who has cancer he is dedicated to doing just that.
Only someone who has had (or has) cancer, can truly understand what it is like for the patient and their families. Brett not only knows what it is like to hear “you have cancer once”, but he has heard it twice – and the first time he was only given approximately three weeks to live without treatment.
This is the story of the Tokyo Guinea Pig – the luckiest,unlucky bastard in Australia.
Brett woke up on morning in May 2016 with a lump on his nose. Many doctors regarded it as a cyst, infection, inflammation – nothing to be concerned about.
Brett has always trusted his instincts and a second opinion had him referred to an ENT who on inspection suggested a biopsy to rule out cancer.
With biopsy results in, Brett heard those words “it’s cancer and its aggressive – but it’s not a cancer we have ever seen before”. With the lump growing quickly, Brett was given a rush appointment with Dr Trish Walker who specialises in Oncology at Peninsula Private Hospital in Frankston.
In the 106 lymphatic cancers that Dr Walker has been involved with – Brett’s cancer was not one of them. A shout out to specialists around Australia returned nothing – and it wasn’t until specialists worldwide were asked of their opinion was there a response.
A Tokyo specialist had seen this cancer – it’s a very rare, fast growing and very aggressive form of lymphoma called NK (Natural Killer) T-Cell Lymphoma. This type of cancer he had only ever seen in Asian people who had worked in sawmill environments for 30+ years. Brett is not Asian, nor does he work in sawmills.
At the time of diagnosis it was July 2016 – a mere eight weeks since Brett found the lump. Given the diagnosis, aggressive nature of the cancer and taking into account just how fast it was growing –Brett was given approximately three weeks to live.