Givealittle launched as Whangārei father seeks Car T-cell treatment in China

A Northland family is racing against the clock to raise funds for overseas treatment for their beloved dad diagnosed with aggressive cancer. Whangārei father-of-five Wayne Fearnehough recently received devastating news that a lymphoma had returned for the third time. His daughter, Corrinne Fearnehough, expressed the family's distress, stating, "It’s been incredibly overwhelming for all of us, we’ve been dealing with hospitals and specialists and rallying around to do everything we possibly can to give him the best chance." Wayne, who previously battled diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, a common and aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, had successfully undergone chemotherapy, radiation, and major spinal surgery in 2014. However, after a recurrence in 2021, he managed to overcome it again with further treatment, including a stem cell transplant. This time, the situation is more dire; scans revealed a large abdominal mass and cancer spread to his intestines, liver, spleen, chest, and lungs. Despite the grim prognosis, the family remains hopeful. Corrinne stated, "Twice he’s fought back, and he will again." His specialists believe that Car T-cell therapy, which genetically reprograms a patient’s immune cells to target cancer cells, is his best option, but it is not available in New Zealand. The family is now urgently raising funds for treatment in Shanghai, China, while Wayne is on bridging chemotherapy to stabilize his condition. They have created a Givealittle page to help cover the costs of treatment, hospital stays, and travel expenses. The estimated cost for overseas treatment starts at around $500,000, excluding additional expenses such as flights and ongoing medical care. Corrinne emphasized the urgency of their situation, stating, "We need to get him the Car T-cell therapy as soon as possible." The family is grateful for the support they have received so far, having raised over $9,000 in just five days. They are now coordinating travel and treatment plans, hoping to secure the necessary funds quickly to give Wayne the chance he deserves.