An Oldham dad is hoping to raise £24,000 every six weeks after he was told his cancer treatment would be stopped due to funding policies.

Chris Whittaker was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal cancer in his bowel and liver in February 2021.

The 53-year-old says he hasn’t slept since being told his treatment was being stopped.

Receiving treatment in south Manchester at The Christie, Chris says he was originally given just six to 12 months to live.

As part of his treatment, Chris has been given immunotherapy using the drug Pembrolizumab, which stimulates the body’s immune system to fight against cancer cells.

Chris says the cancer has cleared from his bowel because of the treatment.

After going for a scan earlier this month, the father-of-two was told his other tumours had shrunk again, but he is still terminally ill.

However, after immediately returning home Chris received a phone call from a different consultant saying the funding for his treatment had finished.

Chris's GoFundMe fundraiser currently stands at just more than £700.

Dr Neil Bayman, medical director at The Christie, said the guidelines are set nationally and are based on "a rigorous evaluation of evidence from published clinical trials and research in the field" with "no evidence" of a continued benefit from immunotherapy beyond two years.

Chris said he had not been told about this policy before, and his family is now trying to raise money so he can continue the treatment.

He said: “They’ve given me treatment for two years, everything’s going the right way, and then the government won’t fund it anymore.”

Chris added the news has left him feeling low explaining: “I’ve been quite positive all the way through it and I said to them on day one, if you treat me I’ll beat this.

“You’re saying it’s not curable, I’m telling you that it is, and I’ve said that from day one and I’ve been confident about it all the time, and every scan I’ve had since day one it’s reduced.

“I had a six-centimetre tumour in my bowel, that’s disappeared. Where’s it gone? The treatment’s obviously working, and now they say I can’t have it.

"That’s just not fair, it’s not right. I just can’t get my head around it.”

Asked what he would say to the government, Chris said: “Wake up. I’m not ready to die. Why are you giving me a death sentence, because that is what you’re doing.

“When they say it’s incurable, how’s it gone in my bowel if it’s incurable? That tells me it’s gone.”

Dr Bayman said: “We are really sorry that Chris and his family find themselves in this situation.

"We have contacted Chris to discuss what has happened and to see how we can improve communication with patients in the future.

“Very sadly, we don’t have any discretion in this situation. The National Institute of Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines are that this kind of immunotherapy treatment is only provided for up to two years, and we are required to comply with NHS requirements in this case.

“The NICE recommendation has been made following a rigorous evaluation of evidence from published clinical trials and research in the field.

"There is no evidence to suggest continued benefit from immunotherapy use beyond two years.

“We ask that any patient who has concerns about their treatment at The Christie should contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service at 0161 446 8217 or email: the-christie.pals@nhs.net.

“Further information about PALS can be found on our website at www.christie.nhs.uk/pals.”

NICE was contacted for comment on this piece.

A NICE guidance document states: “There is no evidence from clinical trials that use pembrolizumab for more than two years of treatment so the benefit beyond this duration is uncertain.”