A young doctor who has been given months to live is hoping to raise £100,000 after a social media campaign inspired donations of £45,000 for Cancer Research UK.
Mark Sims, 27, is looking forward to being best man at his twin brother David's wedding next month after the devastating news his melanoma skin cancer has returned.
Dr Sims managed to beat the cancer after his first diagnosis aged 15, but was told in February this year that it had returned and he may only have months to live.
Dr Mark Sims
He set up a JustGiving page from his Royal Marsden Hospital bed and within half an hour, had raised £1,000 after it was shared online.
Now the total stands at £45,000.
Despite being seriously unwell, Dr Sims, who works at St Helier Hospital, continues to fundraise for Cancer Research UK, running the Leicester half marathon last weekend with his girlfriend Georgie Latcham who he met through his fundraising.
Dr Sims, who is originally from Bristol but lives in Somerset Avenue, Raynes Park, is using the money raised to fund the research of PhD student Magnus Dillon, who is working on a treatment to make radiotherapy more effective by targeting specific cancer cells.
Dr Sims was first diagnosed with cancer aged 15
Dr Sims said: "It’s nice to know what I have achieved in terms of something specific. Cancer Research UK makes half a billion a year, and it’s nice to know that I have helped a specific project that can go on and help more people. It’s a personal touch to it.
"Because I am a doctor, I do understand it better than most people. I understand the importance of getting this medical stuff done.
"Whatever happens to me, I’ll have the knowledge that I’ve helped other people in my position, even if it’s ten or 15 years down the line."
Dr Sims had been responding well to an advanced drug called dabrafenib to treat his melanoma, and his original tumours shrank. However, he has recently found that the drug has stopped working, and his cancer has unfortunately spread further.
Despite this, Dr Sims is keen to carry on fundraising, and is looking forward to being the best man at his twin brother David's wedding on November 7.
Dr Sims, back centre, and his family, including twin brother David (top left)
He said: "I’ve had a bit of a setback recently. I was very low for about a week, but I’m trying to pick myself up and get more involved in the positive things in my life, like my fundraising.
"I raised £1,000 in the first thirty minutes of launching the page, because people just took to the story and shared it around social media. I've been listed as a major contributor by Cancer Research UK.
He added: "All the media exposure has been a new life experience. Life's for new experiences, and embracing it."
To donate to Dr Sims' JustGiving page visit: https://www.justgiving.com/Mark-Sims5/
To read his blog, visit: https://wrestlingmelanoma.wordpress.com/
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