An Auckland man with aggressive blood cancer was weeks away from receiving cutting-edge CAR-T cell therapy through a New Zealand clinical trial when the disease spread too quickly, ruling him out of treatment. 

Now, with supporters having raised more than $264,000 towards the estimated $500,000 cost of accessing the therapy overseas, 24-year-old Michael Walters is preparing to travel to either Australia or China for the treatment. 

The Cancer Society says no family should have to choose between financial security and medical care, describing the $500,000 to $1 million cost as an enormous burden on top of a cancer diagnosis. 

Walters said his life was only beginning when he was diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in April 2025. 

He had just started a new job as a property manager, had a wide circle of friends he enjoyed hanging out with, worked out four times a week and was close with his family. 

Walters said he was happy and healthy, so when he started feeling a bit “overtired” and getting a tight feeling in his chest, he put it down to overworking himself and having the odd vape. 

Michael Walters (centre) says he was healthy before he was diagnosed with the aggressive cancer. 

He said he soon developed “really bad” pain in his chest and shoulder that he slept off, only for it to return a week later. 

When it persisted for a week, he decided to visit his GP. 

Walters said he was diagnosed with a “fairly routine” lung condition that he was told would go away with simple treatment. 

But his gut told him the diagnosis was wrong. He asked his GP for a follow-up X-ray, which took place the same day. 

“I had the X-ray, and he called me the next day. He started with, ‘Don’t panic’, which immediately made me panic.” 

A shadow was found on the X-ray, so he was called in for a CT scan. 

With supporters having raised more than $264,000 towards the estimated $500,000 cost of accessing therapy overseas, Michael Walters is preparing to travel abroad in a bid to possibly save his life. 

The CT scan revealed a 10cm mass on his lung. Shortly after, he said, he was diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. 

“Even then, cancer wasn’t really on my mind,” Walters said. 

“Then [the doctors] were saying it was probably benign, so I still wasn’t fully grasping what was going on. 

“I didn’t even cry because it didn’t feel real.” 

Walters started chemotherapy a few weeks after his diagnosis, flipping his “normal” life upside down. 

Michael Walters was diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in April 2025. 

He said scans during the treatment showed “many positive signs”, including one scan that came back clear. 

However, a month after completing six cycles of chemo, his cancer had grown into a 12cm tumour in his chest, he said. 

Doctors enrolled him in a CAR T-cell therapy clinical trial – an innovative treatment that modifies a patient’s own immune cells to target and destroy cancer – describing it as his best chance of recovery. 

He was days away from travelling to Wellington to begin the trial when the cancer spread to his liver and bones. 

The rapid progression meant he needed immediate treatment in Auckland and was no longer eligible to participate in the trial. 

Walters said he waited for the next available slot, this time for a trial in Auckland, but two days before that was due to begin his health took another turn. 

Michael Walters says if there was anything he wanted people to take away from his story, it was not to get “so stuck in the grind of life”. 

He said the only option to save his life was an alternative immunotherapy, but this treatment meant he was ineligible for the CAR T-cell therapy trial in New Zealand. 

Since then, Walters and supporters have rallied around him to fund him travelling overseas for the treatment, which will cost at least $500,000. 

He said he is looking at options in China and Australia. 

A Givealittle page has been set up, which has raised more than $264,000. 

His friends are also holding fundraisers such as raffles, selling vintage clothing and DJ events to help him reach his goal. 

He said he was “blessed” to be surrounded by such love and care. 

Families choosing between a possible cure and financial security 

Cancer Society New Zealand chief executive Nicola Coom said many New Zealanders faced significant barriers to accessing CAR-T therapy. 

“Our hearts go out to the families making the incredibly difficult decision to seek treatment overseas, often at a cost of between $500,000 and $1m,” Coom said. 

“That is an enormous burden to carry on top of a cancer diagnosis.” 

Coom said accessing potentially life-saving cancer treatments should not depend on a patient’s ability to pay. 

“The reality that some families must choose between their financial security and the chance of a cure is deeply difficult.” 

In New Zealand, CAR-T therapy is only available through the Enable clinical trial run by the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research. 

While work is underway to expand access, the Cancer Society said the treatment remained years away from widespread availability in the public health system because of its complexity and cost. 

Walters said if there was anything he wanted people to take away from his story, it was not to get “so stuck in the grind of life”. 

“I used to have to force myself to the gym each time; now I would give anything just to be able to go for a walk. 

“Go for that run, make time for your friends and the people you love, go fishing with your Dad; you never know when it’s going to be taken away from you. 

“Please, just make time to enjoy your life and move your body.” 

Rachel Maher is an investigative reporter covering Auckland issues and education. She started at the Herald as a breaking news journalist in 2022, before joining the Auckland team this year.