A young police officer has suffered a setback in his battle against cancer after doctors discovered that the disease has spread.
David Robinson, a trainee officer in Leicester city centre, has been having treatment for four incurable tumours – three on his brain and one on his spine – since 2009.
Now, doctors have found two new growths on the 29-year-old's brain.
Scans have also confirmed the existing tumours have grown, despite two bouts of surgery at the end of last year to reduce them.
David and his wife, Almina, said they had been "floored" by the news.
However, the couple have been given fresh hope of prolonging their lives together with news that a new drug is to undergo clinical trials in the UK.
David was planning to travel to America to take part in a similar trial. He now hopes to have treatment in the UK, which would include some time spent at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
The trial, which has just been announced, would be more suitable for the couple as it would involve less upheaval for them and their nine-month-old daughter, Amelia.
David said: "We were sort of waiting for bad news from the scans. One of my legs had gone numb and I'd been getting headaches and blurred vision again.
"We were happy to find out that there is to be a trial available in this country, including in part in Leicester.
"We thought the only treatment available was in America.
"I've been invited for screening tests and I hope it works out for us."
Almina, 29, said: "David was having blurry vision and headaches recently so we expected some worsening of the tumours but this has, again, floored us.
"We have, thankfully, been given some potentially encouraging news. David has been invited for screening tests for a clinical trial, right here in the UK.
"Other than standard treatment, there is generally no choice but to go abroad for experimental clinical trials. So this is almost a miracle.
"So, although we've been dealt another blow we have to find the strength to pick ourselves up again, and this trial – if he is eligible and begins treatment – is hope.
"We have become very good at not giving up and always having hope."
David, who was training to become a police officer at Mansfield House police station, had hoped to travel to America last September to take part in a similar drug trial.
Family, friends and police officers from across the UK have helped raise �67,000 towards the �100,000 cost.
Almina said: "The trial here is in earlier stages and has so far only been tested in animals and in the laboratory.
"It is very intense and the screening criteria is very strict.
"The cost of treatment here would also only be a proportion of that of the US trial as the company providing the drug would pay for hospital treatment, unlike the case with the US where we would have to pay for everything, other than the trial drug."
David will now undergo a month of screening tests and, if he is declared fit enough, he will start with the trial immediately.
Almina added: "For at least the first month or two, he'd be at the hospital for tests every day, from an hour to 10 hours each time.
"There are no further standard chemotherapy treatment available to David so we certainly don't have the luxury of choices."
For condition updates and details of further fund-raising events, see the "help us help a friend" site on Facebook, or David's website:
www.davidleerobinson.co.uk
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