Cancer patient needing huge funding injection

Jeff Paterson

Jeff Paterson is trying to raise $300,000 for a cancer treatment he says could save his life.

The 22-year-old, with family and friends in Whangarei, was diagnosed with melanoma at age 16 and is trying to raise $300,000 to fund a treatment he hopes will save him.

Architecture masters student Jeffrey "Patt" Paterson has had six major operations and "countless" minor ones since his diagnosis.

In October, he was diagnosed with four inoperable tumours in his lungs " the first inoperable ones he has had so far.

His friends, led by Whangarei's Gabbie Kerrisk, have rallied around him and are attempting to raise $300,000 for an unfunded immunotherapy treatment.

"Unfortunately the treatment that [Patt] is a strong candidate for is not funded in New Zealand by Pharmac, so we are raising the at least $300,000 ourselves," Ms Kerrisk said.

More than $37,000 had been raised from 400 donors via online crowd-funding platform PledgeMe.

Mr Paterson has family in Whangarei and the young man listed "guitar, surfing and design" among his passions.

He said the immunotherapy treatment could give him a "a fighting chance" against a very aggressive cancer.

-Check out givealittle.co.nz/cause/rise4patt/