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Hello, and thank you for taking a moment to read this.
My name is Serdar Ferit. I am 45 years old, and for the last three and a half years I have been living with stage 4 colon cancer. The five year survival rate for my condition is around 10%.
Since November 2022, I have been through more than 30 cycles of potent chemotherapy, 28 radiotherapy sessions, numerous procedures under general anaesthetic, and more scans and colonoscopies than I can count.
I am incredibly grateful for the amazing care I’ve had at the Royal Marsden Hospital, and I could not have wished for a better group of people to look after me over the last few years.
Having said that, the treatments currently available to me in the UK are unlikely to cure me, or to prolong my life for a significant amount of time.
Advances in immunotherapy
In recent years there have been promising advances in immunotherapy treatments and in personalised cancer vaccines in particular. There are trials happening in the UK, where I live, but unfortunately I am not currently eligible, as my profile does not quite match what the studies are looking for.
Some of these treatments are available privately in other countries, but they are expensive. Over the last year, I’ve researched options as carefully as I can, spoken to doctors and patients, and tried to understand what might be worth pursuing. I’ve found a clinic in Mexico that has proposed a comprehensive treatment plan for me, including a combination of four personalised immunotherapy treatments. I have visited the clinic and met several patients who have been treated and cured there (I actually found out about the clinic from a former patient who was cured there 12 years ago).
I’ve gone through the proposed plan in detail with my oncologist in the UK, who has talked me through the components and what they are intended to do. She has been supportive about my wish to pursue this as an additional therapy alongside the chemotherapy protocol I am currently on here in the UK.
While there are no guarantees with cancer, I want to give myself the best chance possible.
Why I am doing this:
I’m setting up this GoFundMe because I would like to pursue this treatment plan, and I would love to connect with people who may be willing to contribute towards that.
What the funds will be used for?
My goal is to raise £290,000. This will help cover:
- pathology admin and transportation of my cancer samples (2 x biopsies) to Mexico and back to the UK
- creation of 4 x personalised immunotherapy treatments, including personalised cancer vaccines for a 2-year period
- treatment costs, including consultations, tests, and all other components of the proposed 2-year treatment plan
- travel for 8 trips to Mexico between and in-patient accommodation (totalling around 4 months over 2 years) for myself and a companion
- GoFundMe platform costs
- travel insurance with medical cover
- FX costs
To start my treatment in May, I need the first £125,000 by 23 April.
This would be enough for me to get started with the initial and most intensive part of the treatment (daily infusions during May and June 2026), with a view to raising the remainder in order to be able to pursue the treatment plan over 2 years, as advised.
How you can help:
- If you are able to make a financial contribution, thank you. Any amount genuinely helps.
- Please share this page or video on social media with a few personal words at the top about why you’re sharing, it makes people far more likely to stop, watch, and consider getting involved. Even a couple of lines from you can make a real difference.
Non-financial support:
If you’d like to support in a non-financial way, e.g. introductions to podcasts/press, corporate match-funding, flights/accommodation support, or production help for the documentary resources.
Thank you for being here, and for any support you’re able to offer.
Transparency and accountability:
- I will post updates monthly so you can see how things are going and what your support is making possible.
- I will share high-level spend categories.
- If the plan changes, I will communicate this in my updates.
- I have started a dedicated bank account for the funds and will make all related payments from this account.
The £290,000 budget does not include a contingency and is based on the assumption that I will be employed throughout the treatment.
While this is difficult to imagine, if we raise more than the target, I would like to use the additional funds to:
- accelerate the production and post-production of documentary film and video resources that could be useful for other families navigating cancer. I intend to work on this anyway, but additional funds would help accelerate/expand the production and reach.
- puruse additional treatments and therapies that may help with healing.
- reduce stress during recovery and create the most supportive conditions for healing.
- create some meaningful time and experiences with my son.
There is also someone very close to me who is also living with cancer. Before I started this campaign, I asked whether they wanted to run a joint fundraiser, with the idea of exploring treatment in Mexico together. For sensitive family reasons, and because their situation is complex, they did not feel able to do that. If the funds allow, I would like to support this person and their family too. The hidden costs of cancer can be enormous.
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With love and gratitude,
Serdar