Faith Hinitt
Credit: GoFundMe
NEED TO KNOW
Faith Hinitt was diagnosed with a rare cancer at the age of 25
After relapsing following her first stem cell transplant, the 27-year-old was told that funding for a second procedure, costing roughly $133,000, was not guaranteed on the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS)
Hinitt set up a GoFundMe page, and generous donors helped her hit her fundraising goal almost overnight after her video about needing the potentially life-saving treatment went viral
A 27-year-old woman has thanked generous strangers for raising over $133,000 almost overnight so she can undergo potentially life-saving cancer treatment.
Faith Hinitt, from England, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at the age of 25. According to the Cleveland Clinic, AML “is a rare cancer that affects your bone marrow and blood. It’s an aggressive cancer that, left untreated, may be life-threatening.”
Since her diagnosis, Hinitt has undergone several rounds of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and had a stem cell transplant.
Four weeks ago, Hinitt was admitted to the hospital for “intense chemotherapy after another relapse” and hoped to go on to receive a second stem cell transplant, per her GoFundMe page.
Faith Hinitt
Credit: GoFundMe
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But Hinitt says was told by her consultant that the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) does not guarantee funding for a second procedure if you have relapsed within 12 months of having the transplant.
Hinitt posted an emotional video on her Instagram on March 19, updating her followers on the situation and said, “So, we’ve just had my consultant come in and my consultant has basically just told me that once you relapse within 12 months of having a stem cell transplant, that they don’t routinely fund a second stem cell transplant, which is what they think is the best way to cure my disease.”
“They took it to the commissioner for me to have a second stem cell transplant and they’ve said no. So, now they’ve had to do an application to NHS England as an individual request for me to have a second stem cell transplant.”
“They’ve told us that obviously they don’t know whether it’s going to come through or not,” Hinitt explained through tears. “We need to try and raise money and we need to raise £100,000 in order for me to be able to have a second stem cell transplant. There is the chance that they could say yes, there’s the chance that they could say no. But at the minute, that’s just what we’ve been told.”
Faith Hinitt
Credit: GoFundMe
She captioned the video, “Today I’ve had my consultant come to see me regarding the next steps in my treatment. Can’t believe the news I’ve been told. Please watch this video. I never thought I’d ever be in a position where I’d have to ask for help for lifesaving treatment. #cancersucks #gofundme #cancer #nhs.”
Since uploading the video online which included a link to Hintt’s GoFundMe , it has racked up 1.8 million views, with kindhearted strangers donating to help her get the second transplant.
Almost overnight, the public rallied together and helped Hinitt hit her fundraising goal of £100,000 ($133,000), with the total now at over £147,000 ($195,000).
The next day, on March 20, she made another video from her hospital bed giving a “massive thank you” to everyone for their “kindness and generosity,” adding that she was “overwhelmed.”
Hinitt said she has not left her room at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield since she was admitted over four weeks ago, due to her fragile health.
“This time yesterday, in my head, I was going to have to sell my house in order to have the treatment that I need to hopefully save my life because I’ve not earned in the last two-and-a-half years,” she said in the clip.
“I’ve been having treatment on and off, so I wouldn’t be able to remortgage my house, apply for a loan, it really was like, what are we going to do? I just can’t believe the level of support and donations over the last 24 hours.”
Hinitt said that because she has shown her consultant that she has the funds for the second stem cell transplant, they are able to get the “ball rolling.”
She said that they have taken her dad’s blood as he is her potential stem cell donor.
“In four weeks time, I should be having my second stem cell transplant and that’s all thanks to everyone sharing and donating. I just can’t believe it,” Hinitt added.
“It’s not often I’m shocked for words; everyone knows I’m a talker, but I am so shocked and I just can’t believe the love, the support, the kindness and the generosity of everyone supporting me over the last 24 hours. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.”
Hinitt is now also trying to raise awareness of the NHS’s guidelines, telling British news channel ITV, “You can’t compare so many different cases with this one guideline.”
“The thought of other people in the country having to go through what we had this week is why I’m having this conversation with you now. I’m raising awareness about these kinds of guidelines.”
A spokesperson for the NHS told the news outlet that it was “committed to ensuring cancer patients have access to the most innovative treatments.”
PEOPLE reached out to NHS England for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
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