Former Otumoetai College teacher Ed Weston is fighting for his life after being diagnosed with an aggressive cancer - Mantle Cell Lymphoma.

After being told in September he had slim chances of making it past Christmas, a last treatment option – Ibutrinib - was made available to Ed.

The drug is non-funded and is costing $7500 per month.

Ed's colleagues, students, friends and family have fundraised more than $30,000, but they need to pay the drug company $15,000 by the start of March to continue the treatment.

The treatment has dramatically changed Ed's quality of life, enabling him to spend more time with loved ones and to complete daily tasks such as cooking, listening to classical music, painting and reading.

Ed says he is extremely grateful for the fundraising efforts for his treatment.

He says it 'is a miracle - life is a miracle! Thank you to everyone who made this miracle possible for me and my family! We are certainly very much encouraged”.

Ed's close friend Claire Lander who runs the Givealittle page is over the moon with the money they have raised over a short time, however she is urging people to continue to donate.

'We are asking for your help. We need you to keep sharing the message but we also need our followers to understand that this is an ongoing situation that requires regular donations so that Ed can continue to receive this life saving treatment.”

Ed's illness reinforces Claire's disappointment with the medical system, describing it as ‘broken' as it is costing human lives.

Claire and the fundraising group believe that the government and Pharmac are failing as lifesaving drugs such as Ibutrinib are not accessible nor affordable for people like Ed.

Former Otumoetai student Sam Shipton is too frustrated with the lack of funding for the drug.

Sam has started a petition to present to Pharmac New Zealand based to encourage funding of life saving drugs for people like Ed.

Sam says 'the length of a life shouldn't be determined by money”.

To donate, please go to https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/ed-weston-teacher-poet-artist-mentor-chef

To sign the petition to encourage Pharmac to fund Ibutrinib please go to https://www.change.org/p/pharmac-new-zealand-help-mr-weston-encourage-our-government-to-fund-lymphoma-treatment-ibutrinib