A man who survived the diagnoses of two doctors, who first told his family he had the night to live, then six months, has now been told he has a couple of years left to live.
Danny de Brabander, 41, has survived a diagnosis of terminal bowel cancer, heart problems and sepsis since his family were told to say their last goodbyes in March 2019. After an operation related to his cancer caused a tear in his bowel and sepsis, doctors believed he would not make it through the night.
Yet, he survived through to the next day, though was told soon after in June of that year he would have only 'six months' to live after it was discovered the cancer had spread from his Bowel to his stomach lining. Last May, nearly two years after his initial diagnosis, scans declared him cancer-free, but unfortunately the cancer has now returned.
READ MORE: Teachers 'watch on' as boy was attacked and left bloodied in classroom
But Danny, who has now been told he has 'about two years' left with his family, isn't focused on the doctor's predictions. He told the ECHO: "Someone once told my family that I wouldn't make the evening. I was told I wouldn't make it six months but I'm still here three years down the line.
"Those estimates are just a number for me at this point. They don't mean anything and they're there to be proven wrong, really."
Instead, he said he is going to focus on his fundraising work, which he has been using to keep his mind 'occupied' through the hospital appointments and the worry. His logic is that he can either worry and do nothing, or put the rest of his time on Earth to good use and really touch people's hearts.
So far, through his work with the fundraising group initially set up by his friends to help him through his first cancer therapies, he has helped to raise £80,000 and counting. He said: "It gives me a lot of focus and its a positive thing, it gives me a little justification for why what's happening to me is happening."
His most recent fundraising efforts are for Wirral Foodbank, and only days ago he announced that the team had raised over £6,000 via a raffle, which featured donations from Anthony Joshua, Liam Gallagher and Shaun Ryder. The funding will allow the foodbank to offer not only food and provisions but also mental health support for victims of poverty.
Another way Danny is trying to help his community in the uncertain time he has left is through what he calls 'acts of kindness,' inspired by the goodness of his friends, Ben Douglas, Ben Lavell and Will Davenport, who set up Team DDB after his first diagnosis and who now run the team with him. In total, they have completed 30 acts of kindness.
He said: "What we'll do is find someone whose been nominated, or someone we see on social media whose situation touches our heart, or just someone who's been through a tough time: maybe they've had cancer or they might have learnt they have some sort of illness so what we''ll do it arrange for them to have a something to take their minds off that situation, like a nice day out or to we'll take them out for a meal or even go to Alton Towers."
We'll find someone whose been nominated, or someone we find on social media whose situation touches our heart or someone whose just been through a tough time: maybe they've had cancer or they might learn they have some sort of illness so what we''ll do it arrange for them to have a nice day out or to go out for a meal or go to Alton Towers.
"I think everyone needs to be kinder to each other. I think kindness is really understated in the world at the minute. If everyone started to look out for others, not just themselves, I think there's a lot to be said for that really and I like to think people follow my lead.
"That's really what it's about for us- to make someone smile when they're going through a really difficult time and I can't even quantify the feeling that I get when I see someone going on a day out and they're having a good time after going through such a rough time."
Danny is now undergoing chemotherapy after he was informed that there are no surgical alternatives to the treatment left. But still, even on the treatment known for being almost entirely draining, he remains chipper.
He said: "Chemotherapy is manageable. The problem is just tiredness mainly, I'm doing pretty much everything I need to do still, so I can't complain."
To follow the Danny's fundraising story further you can do so by visiting them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @Team.DDB
