Auckland dad, 25, diagnosed with brain cancer has months to live

Early last year, Ben Suisala was fit, healthy and hoping to play professional rugby. Now, the 25-year-old Auckland father-of-two has terminal brain cancer and may only have months to live.

Ben was diagnosed with an Anaplastic Astrocytoma brain tumour, Grade 3 brain cancer, in February this year after months of severe headaches.

Weeks later, his partner of six years, Jess, learned she was pregnant with their second child.

Ben is often fatigued but is focused on savouring his time with Jess, who he married in winter, and daughters Luca, 2, and Lake, four months.

"We're not living like Ben's sick," Jess told the Herald.

"We have a happy house. We smile and laugh every day."

Ben was forced to stop working as a glazier at the end of last year as his headaches became worse, and he often felt dizzy and struggled to sleep.

Soon after his February diagnosis, he lost his eyesight, couldn't speak, walk, or shower or feed himself.

He has regained some mobility, speech and eyesight, but his cancer has stopped responding to chemotherapy.

The couple are considering a course of immunotherapy drug Avastin, which would cost about $10,000 a month. They have been told it won't increase Ben's life expectancy but could alleviate his symptoms.

"It's been hard financially as we've both had to stop working," Jess said.

"The treatment would be expensive and it can have quite bad side effects, but it could also improve his quality of life so we're looking at giving it a go."

Jess Suisala and Ben Jess Suisala with their two children, Luca, 2 and Lake 4 months. In Feb 2016, Ben was diagnosed with an Anaplastic Astrocytoma brain tumour. Photo / Michael Craig

It's not a decision the couple was expecting to have to make.

Before cancer, Ben was a promising rugby union prop who ran or trained every day.

In 2014, while living in Sydney, he played for the New South Wales Country Eagles. When he returned home to Auckland, he played for the Grammar Carlton Rugby Football Club.

"He loved keeping fit and healthy," Jess said. "Now he's almost twice the size he was because of steroid medicines he was taking, and he's fatigued a lot of the time.

"He's able to do things for himself now and he can help around the house and play with the kids, but sometimes he has to sleep for four or five hours a day."

But the couple refuse to be negative.

"The kids are a good distraction. We don't have any kind of checklist of things we want to do... We're just making sure we enjoy every day."

• To support Ben and his family, go to https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/helpforben/