My best mate

Denis —
Denk to his mates.

His lung cancer has spread to his brain. After several treatments, his oncologist has recommended lorlatinib. I want people to know what Denis and his family are facing, help with the practical costs, and ask the people who can answer how he can access the treatment his doctor recommends.

Meet DenisWays to help
Denis looking at Mia as a baby
What’s happening

Here’s what I know so far.

Denis has already been through chemotherapy, alectinib and other treatments. As I understand it, those treatments helped keep the cancer in his lungs from growing, but it has now spread to his brain. At the last update I received, there were around 16 tumours in his brain. That number can change as scans are reviewed. His oncologist has recommended lorlatinib as the next treatment and said it may be his only option.

I can’t promise what treatment will do. Denis and his care team are working through those decisions. I can help with the practical work, ask questions about access, and raise support for him and his family.

I took the photo of Denis and Mia, and I love it. The others are from different parts of his life — family, fishing, music, and childhood. I want people to get a feel for Denis, beyond the diagnosis.

Denis as a young child, smiling at the camera
Denis smiling and holding two NOFX records
Denis fishing outdoors with two children
Denis with his family outdoors by the coast
Where things stand

What I’m trying to do next.

For Denis: his oncology team can consider an individual Named Patient Pharmaceutical Assessment, or NPPA, through Pharmac. Only an authorised prescriber can submit an application, and approval isn’t guaranteed. I’ll ask his oncologist what route is appropriate and what support would help.

For New Zealand: As checked on 1 October 2026, lorlatinib did not appear in Pharmac’s Community Schedule or Hospital Medicines List. An individual access request is a separate question. I’m asking Pharmac to explain the current funding position and what needs to happen next.

FOR DENIS

Help his team pursue lorlatinib

I’ll ask whether an individual assessment is appropriate. Denis’s clinician decides what to apply for; I can help with practical support.

FOR EVERYONE

Ask for a clear answer

I’ll ask Pharmac and the medicine supplier to explain the current status, next steps, and how patient and whānau experience can be heard.

WITH YOUR HELP

Raise money and awareness

Donations and shares can help Denis and bring more attention to the funding gap.

The information, in plain English

What we know, and what we’re checking.

About Denis: The personal update on this page comes from Denis and the people close to him. It is a snapshot, not a medical record; details and scan results can change. For the latest clinical information, Denis and his oncology team are the source.

About funding: Pharmac’s live Pharmaceutical Schedule and its NPPA guidance are the authoritative places to check current New Zealand access. A schedule listing can change; please check the current version before relying on any summary.

Checked 1 October 2026: Lorlatinib does not appear in the October 2026 Community Schedule or Hospital Medicines List. Individual access routes, including NPPA, are separate from those listings. His oncology team can confirm what route may fit.

What the CROWN trial found: Among 35 lorlatinib-treated participants who had brain metastases at the start, 21 had an intracranial response (60%) and 17 had a complete response on imaging (49%). The estimated chance of being free from brain progression at five years was 83% (95% CI 64–93%). In the smaller group of 12 with measurable brain lesions, 11 responded (92%).

Important context: CROWN studied people with advanced ALK-positive lung cancer who had not yet received systemic treatment for metastatic disease. Denis has already had several treatments, so these numbers cannot predict his response. They are reasons to ask his oncologist about the evidence, not a promise about what will happen.

Read the peer-reviewed five-year CROWN results.

A few useful things you can do

Ask the people who can help.

A thoughtful, personal message is more useful than a copy-and-paste pile-on. Please don’t include Denis’s NHI number, records, or private clinical details in public posts or general emails.

1 · ASK PHARMAC

Get a clear answer on access

Ask Pharmac to confirm the current lorlatinib funding status, the route his clinician should consider, and what evidence or supplier action is still needed.

Email Pharmac · Consumer funding application

2 · CONTACT PFIZER NZ

Ask about the practical pathway

Pfizer’s NZ contact page directs medicine questions to Medical Information. Ask about availability, patient support pathways, and whether Pfizer has submitted a funding application. They cannot choose treatment for Denis; his clinician does that.

Pfizer NZ contact options · Submit a medical enquiry / call 0800 736 363

3 · CONTACT YOUR MP

Ask for scrutiny and a reply

Ask your electorate MP and the Minister of Health for a clear explanation of the funding pathway and how patient experience is considered. In New Zealand, contact your local council and central-government MPs; there are no state governments.

Find an MP · Minister of Health

4 · LOCAL SUPPORT

Ask your council about local support

Councils do not decide medicine funding. They may help with community information, a venue, or connecting local groups. Ask your mayor or councillors what support is possible.

Find a local authority · Govt.nz contact directory

5 · SIGN A PETITION

Put the request on Parliament’s record

Use Parliament’s own e-petition system. The wording is ready, but no petition is open to sign yet. Someone needs to submit the draft on Parliament’s site; the petitioner’s name will be public. Once it is approved and live, this page can link to the signing page. An MP must agree to present it after it closes.

Review the petition draft · Contact details and ready-to-use messages

6 · SHARE THE FUNDRAISER

Share Denis’s story

If giving isn’t possible, sharing the GoFundMe page or introducing us to a local business can still help. Please use only the official fundraiser link below.

Go to the fundraiser

Sources

Check the NZ information.

About this page

I’m Denis’s friend. Denk is the nickname his mates use. This is a personal campaign, not a Pharmac, hospital, or charity website. Denis and his whānau’s privacy matters, and medical decisions are theirs to make with his clinicians.

Donations will go through the official GoFundMe page once its link is added. Until then, there is no live donation link on this preview. Please be wary of anyone asking you to transfer money directly.