Erica Fielder is urgently raising funds to secure a life-extending drug for her husband, Rob, who is battling advanced Stage 4 lung cancer. The treatment is not available on the NHS and comes at a steep cost, but Erica hopes to give Rob more precious time, including reaching his milestone 50th birthday next year.
Rob and Erica, childhood sweethearts married for 20 years, relocated to Newnham in 2022 to live what they called their “perfect life.” Shortly after moving, Rob began experiencing unexplained weight loss and persistent coughing. Initially, tests revealed nothing, but months later, a chest X-ray uncovered a large tumor in his lung.
The diagnosis was devastating: advanced lung cancer that had already spread to his brain and bones. Since early 2023, Rob has endured chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and multiple rounds of Gamma Knife radiosurgery targeting brain lesions. He has also suffered two strokes, forcing him to give up hockey, a beloved sport.
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The couple discovered Rob has a rare and drug-resistant Exon 20 mutation—so rare it’s not routinely tested in the UK. However, there are promising medications, Sunvozertinib and Furmonertinib, which have nearly double the response rate of existing treatments. Unfortunately, these drugs must be imported under special licenses at an estimated cost of £15,000 per month.
Unable to cover the expense herself, Erica turned to the public and created a GoFundMe page. In just four days, generous donations surged past £22,000, offering a glimmer of hope for Rob. Erica shared a heartfelt video from the hospital during another radiosurgery session, expressing her overwhelming gratitude and determination to save her husband.
“This treatment won’t cure him, but it will give us more time and make things more manageable,” Erica said tearfully. “We can’t remortgage, and I’ve never asked for help before, but this is different. Rob is worried about leaving me in financial trouble, so I’m doing everything I can.”
The Fielder family is also raising awareness about the limitations of cancer testing in the UK. Most biopsies only screen for common mutations, leaving many patients’ rare mutations unidentified and untreated. Erica stresses the urgent need for broader genetic testing to improve outcomes for lung cancer patients.
Despite the enormous challenges, Erica praised the medical teams at Forest Health Care and Cheltenham General Hospital for their unwavering support and willingness to adapt Rob’s treatment plan.
This courageous couple is focused on staying positive and making every moment count. With the kindness of strangers and the hope that new treatments bring, Erica and Rob look forward to celebrating his 50th birthday—a milestone that once felt out of reach.