“I Turned 46 in a Cancer Clinic — And Learned We Had Reached the Goal”
In just over 40 days, something extraordinary happened. Friends, family, strangers, colleagues, and people from all over the world came together to help Serdar Ferit — a 46-year-old father living with stage 4 colon cancer — raise £290,000 for a pioneering immunotherapy treatment plan in Mexico. And on 4 May 2026, the day Serdar turned 46, he received two life-changing pieces of news: It was his first day of immunotherapy treatment in Tijuana. And the fundraiser had officially reached 100% of its target. For Serdar, it was a birthday he says he will “never forget.” “To have done this in just over 40 days is genuinely mind blowing,” he wrote in a heartfelt update shared from the clinic. “I feel humbled, and a little lost for words, when I think about the love and support that has carried me to this point.” For the past three and a half years, Serdar has been living with stage 4 colon cancer — a diagnosis with an estimated five-year survival rate of around 10%. Since November 2022, he has endured more than 30 cycles of chemotherapy, 28 radiotherapy sessions, multiple procedures under general anaesthetic, countless scans, and ongoing treatment through the Royal Marsden Hospital in the UK. While deeply grateful for the exceptional care he has received, Serdar reached a difficult reality: the standard treatments available to him in the UK were unlikely to cure him or significantly extend his life. Determined to keep fighting, he spent more than a year researching advanced immunotherapy options around the world. Eventually, he found a clinic in Mexico offering a comprehensive personalised treatment plan involving four tailored immunotherapy therapies, including personalised cancer vaccines. After extensive discussions with specialists and support from his UK oncologist, Serdar made the decision to pursue the treatment alongside his current chemotherapy protocol. But there was one enormous challenge: the cost. The treatment plan, travel, accommodation, medical logistics, insurance, pathology transport, and ongoing care over two years totalled approximately £290,000. What happened next exceeded all expectations. Thousands of people shared his story. Donations arrived from friends, old classmates, colleagues, complete strangers, and people whose lives had also been touched by cancer. Videos spread across social media. Messages poured in from around the world. And in only 40 days, the target was reached. Now, as Serdar begins treatment, he says he feels more hopeful than he has in a long time. “The journey has now begun,” he wrote. “There are no guarantees with any of this, but I’m doing everything I can to give myself the best chance of a beautiful ending to this story.” Although the original fundraising goal has now been achieved, Serdar says any further contributions will still have a meaningful impact. Additional funds will help support the production and post-production of documentary films and video resources he is creating to support cancer patients and families navigating similar journeys. He also hopes to help a close family member who is also living with advanced cancer — including giving them the chance to have a much-needed holiday with their family. For Serdar, this campaign has become about far more than treatment alone. It has become a story about community, hope, love, resilience, and the extraordinary power of people coming together when it matters most. “If you donated, shared the video, sent a message, said a kind word, or simply held me in your thoughts,” he wrote, “all of it has mattered and helped.” And now, with treatment underway and hope renewed, the next chapter begins.
