What to know
- Taye Hastings, a 21-year-old Brampton man, was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer on June 29, 2026, when he was 20.
- The cancer has spread to several organs, including his liver, stomach, kidneys and lungs.
- After surgery and six rounds of chemotherapy, Hastings says doctors have told him his cancer appears resistant to treatment.
- He hopes to raise $550,000 through GoFundMe to cover personalized treatment at a medical centre in Arizona, along with travel and living expenses.
- The initial treatment costs US$289,000, or approximately C$403,871, and Hastings says he must pay by Oct. 31 to secure a spot.
- At the time of publication, his fundraiser had collected $70,812 toward its goal.
A Brampton man is seeking $550,000 in donations to help him pay for a special treatment abroad, after his advanced stage cancer proved resistant to regular chemotherapy.
Taye Hastings, who is now 21 years old, was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer back on June 29 of this year, when he was only 20. When the diagnosis came, the cancer that had started on his colon had already spread to his liver, stomach, kidneys, lungs, and a major lymph node.
The diagnosis was a shock, especially for a 20-year-old boy, as he said there were no warning symptoms or signs something might have been wrong with his health. Still, he was told without treatment, he would only have another three months to live. While with treatment, they thought he could live for no longer than two years.
Soon after the cancer was detected, Hastings underwent surgery to bypass a blockage in his intestines and has already gone through six rounds of chemotherapy and countless hospital visits. But even after months of treatment, his doctors have told him his cancer seems resistant to chemo, and are not sure how to keep going.
“In Canada, we use a standardised treatment care plan where everyone gets the same chemo, no matter what type of cancer you have. And for a lot of people, it does work. Unfortunately, there are some people, like myself, where your cancer becomes resistant to that type of chemo,” he told Now Toronto.
“My reaction, hearing that, was just kind of another blow. I felt like I was back to square one, where I didn’t know what to do, but it was less about hearing that news and more about seeing the reaction of my family, just seeing them break down for another time.”
Hastings seeks help to access alternative treatment
Exhausting local options, Hastings has found a medical centre in Arizona, which offers personalized diagnoses and treatment for colon cancer. Although this treatment doesn’t guarantee he could effectively beat the cancer, he believes it could give him a chance to try.
However, there is a significant issue. He says the initial treatment costs USD $289,000 (about CAD $403,871), and he must submit the payment by Oct. 31 in order to secure a spot. In addition, travelling to Arizona, paying for months-long stay, and affording other daily expenses in another country could also come with significant costs.
Not wanting to give up on this chance, Hastings has now launched a GoFundMe to raise CAD $550,000 to support his treatment. He hopes the campaign could help him cover travel and treatment costs, and give him another chance at fighting the disease.
“I need this support to save my life, and I’m not ready to give up on this fight. So I’m just trying to go every avenue possible to help me with the best fighting chances,” he said.
Seeking the donation could be Hastings’ best chance at beating the disease and going back to chasing his life’s dreams. At 21 years old, the boy still had plans to complete his degree in justice studies at the University of Guelph-Humber, building a career as a police officer, and travelling the world.
“I train six days a week, trying to be as fit as possible to maintain my career goals… I really enjoy martial arts. I have a black belt in Taekwondo. I fight MMA competitively. I do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai as well. And when I’m not doing that, I’m probably playing video games with my friends,” he said.
“I really want to just travel the world: Germany, Bali, Europe. I’d love to go to Italy, Portugal. I think that seeing the world would give me great experience on how to relate to people within future career goals and policing, because policing is all about relating to the public.”
Through everything, Hastings said what has kept him up was his faith.
“Nothing’s impossible through faith, guys… I’m going through a difficult journey, I know that at the end of the day, for me, my higher power has a plan for me, and my plan is not to die anytime soon. So, I have to keep my head up, and I have to keep going through the journey.”
Hastings’ GoFundMe has recorded $70,812 in donations by the time of publication, with a $550,000 final objective by Oct. 31.
Colorectal cancer becoming more common among young people
Over the last few decades, rates of colorectal cancer (which includes both colon cancer and rectal cancer) has significantly increased among people under 50 years old in Canada, according to the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS).
At the same time, younger adults are more frequently diagnosed with later stages of colorectal cancer, including mostly stage 3 and stage 4. If found at later stages, the CCS says survival rates are less than 15 per cent, compared to about 90 per cent if found early.
In July, the Ontario government lowered the recommended age for colorectal cancer screening under its Colon Cancer Check Program from 50 to 45 in response to the trend. Those between 45 and 74 years old are recommended to get a screening every two years. More information is available on the province’s website.
