{"id":601117,"date":"2026-05-24T08:26:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T08:26:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/601117\/"},"modified":"2026-05-24T08:26:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T08:26:12","slug":"hull-woman-with-brain-cancer-remortgages-her-home-to-help-pay-for-pioneering-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/601117\/","title":{"rendered":"Hull woman with brain cancer remortgages her home to help pay for pioneering treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8216;There\u2019s been no regrowth but I\u2019m not in remission and there is no cure &#8211; and it&#8217;s cost around \u00a3100,000 for treatment so far&#8217;<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Louise Jensen, who has remortgaged her home to pay for cancer treatment not available on the NHS\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_CFR_NJL_220526lou_04.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Louise Jensen, who has remortgaged her home to pay for cancer treatment not available on the NHS\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Louise Jensen, who has remortgaged her home to pay for cancer treatment not available on the NHS(Image: Louise Jensen)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A Hull woman battling terminal brain cancer has revealed how she has remortgaged her house in her bid to pay the huge bill for potentially life-extending treatment not available on the <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hulldailymail.co.uk\/all-about\/nhs\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">NHS<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It is now nine months since Louise Jensen received the news that she had a massive Grade 4 Glioblastoma, leaving her with a life expectancy of one to two years. Her life was turned upside down when a series of excruciating headaches led to the earth-shattering diagnosis. Hours after scans showed the huge tumour in her brain on an MRI scan, Louise was called by Hull Royal Infirmary urging her to get in touch as soon as possible.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Since then, Louise, 40, has struggled to stay positive, but her partner of nine years Adam Philipson and best friend Becky Blount have rallied round, researching all manner of potential treatments she could combine with NHS therapies. A GoFundMe campaign was set in motion to raise \u00a380,000 needed for a vaccine treatment pioneered in Germany, which could give her between five and 20 years more with her family and loved ones.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">So far, around \u00a330,000 has been raised through the fundraiser, helping towards the high costs for treatments Louise is having on top of her NHS course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, while Louise is eternally grateful that <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hulldailymail.co.uk\/news\/hull-east-yorkshire-news\/hull-woman-terminal-brain-cancer-10704489\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">friends, family and the community have dug deep<\/a> to raise money, she is also racing against the clock to get treatment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">So she and Adam remortgaged their home, while other family members have given their life savings, so that Louise could journey to Germany to start the treatment as soon as possible. She has now been to Germany on four occasions to receive the vaccine, with all the costs so far topping at least \u00a3100,000 &#8211; and there will be more to pay out on future visits too.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Louise Jensen receives the peptide vaccine treatment.\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_CFR_NJL_220526lou_05JPG.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Louise Jensen receives the peptide vaccine treatment.\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Louise Jensen receives the peptide vaccine treatment.(Image: Louise Jensen)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">As well as needing money just to pay for the vaccines, she and Adam are also meeting all the costs for travel, accommodation and meals on each expensive trip. Money aside, there is currently no sign of the tumour in her brain, which is, on the surface, good news. However, Louise says she is under no illusion that the tumour will return.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s no sign of cancer in my scans at all at the moment, and there\u2019s been no regrowth. But I\u2019m not in remission and there is no cure,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s really hard to kind of get your head around. It will return &#8211; we just don\u2019t know when.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cIt could be the chemo. It might have been the radiation. It could have been a bit of both, it could have been the German treatment. I\u2019m not sure, to be honest, but either way, something is helping, and obviously, I couldn\u2019t have done any of it without the money that was very kindly raised.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">CeGat German Oncology Centre, based in T\u00fcbingen, Germany, took a sample of Louise\u2019s tumour from Hull Royal Infirmary to analyse it in depth. After analysing its weaknesses, at an initial cost of \u00a320,000, peptide vaccines have been produced at a cost of another \u00a360,000. The vaccines are injected into Louise\u2019s stomach to create an immune response, firing those weaknesses at any sign of the tumour.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">And once in her body it is hoped that, if any part of the cancer returns, the vaccines will help her body to identify it, attack it and destroy it. Ultimately, while it doesn\u2019t cure the cancer, it\u2019s hoped to keep it at bay to give her a longer life-span than her current, devastatingly short life expectancy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">So, for the next year, Louise, a former operating theatre practitioner at <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hulldailymail.co.uk\/all-about\/hull-royal-infirmary\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Hull Royal Infirmary<\/a> who used to run her own business LJ Healthcare, will be making many more trips to Germany to continue keeping the cancer at bay.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">She said: \u201cWe\u2019ve probably spent about \u00a3100,000 so far and we\u2019ve still got more treatments to do, more travelling to do. It\u2019s 11 trips to Germany for this vaccine, so that\u2019s 11 times hotels, trains and flights, over a year\u2019s period, so it\u2019s going to cost much more than the actual treatment cost.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cSo we really want to keep up <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/louise-access-life-saving-treatment-for-brain-cancer\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">the fundraising through GoFundMe.<\/a> We\u2019ve had to remortgage the house because we couldn\u2019t wait, and other family members have dug into their life savings too.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Louise readily admits the devastating mental toll the last nine months have taken on her, and ability to stay positive. She said: \u201cI\u2019m still really depressed and I think, people don\u2019t understand that with cancer, the after effects.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The MRI scan showing the huge tumour in her brain.\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1_CFR_NJL_191025louise_04JPG.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"The MRI scan showing the huge tumour in her brain which has been removed.\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">The MRI scan showing the huge tumour in her brain which has been removed.(Image: Louise Jensen)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cYou\u2019ve been given a prognosis or diagnosis. You\u2019re having to try and get on with your life. But it will never leave you.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cAnd that\u2019s the bit I\u2019m really struggling with at the moment. Even counselling didn\u2019t help and I was feeling so low, so down \u2013 and I still am \u2013 but I\u2019ve been starting taking some medication. I was in bed all the time, but I can now go out a little bit &#8211; we\u2019ve just been shopping \u2013 so they are starting to take the edge off a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Next month will see a major charity event hopefully deliver a huge boost for Louise. She is set to be one of the recipients of funds raised from the Ring of Hope charity boxing match taking place at the Doubletree Hilton in Hull on June 20. The first Ring of Hope event raised more than \u00a3100,000 for charity, and the organisers at the Zenith Foundation hope to raise \u00a365,000 for Louise, with any additional funds raised set to go to other causes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Organisers have arranged a number of sponsorship opportunities for the charity clash, and it is understood that a few tables still remain and can be booked by emailing calum@zdglimited.com or danielle@zdglimited.com.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">To make a donation visit Louise&#8217;s fundraising page <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/louise-access-life-saving-treatment-for-brain-cancer\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Get all the latest headlines sent straight to your inbox for free with our newsletter. You can stay up to date with all the breaking news and top stories as they happen in Hull and East Yorkshire by clicking <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hulldailymail.co.uk\/newsletter-preference-centre\/?view=Solus&amp;mailingListId=bcb251b4-2bab-415b-add5-fc6b3fd64fab&amp;utm_source=solusarticle\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">this link <\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"&#8216;There\u2019s been no regrowth but I\u2019m not in remission and there is no cure &#8211; and it&#8217;s cost&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":601118,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[59,20509,104,2205,86,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-601117","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-gb","tag-hull-royal-infirmary","tag-nhs","tag-real-life","tag-technology","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/601117","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=601117"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/601117\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/601118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=601117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=601117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=601117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}