A DEVOTED family man from Petersfield is hoping a school friend can help raise thousands of pounds for life-saving cancer treatment in Japan.

In 2018 Reese Payne, 35, (top right) was diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer.

But now treatments such as chemotherapy aren’t having any effect. He needs more than £50,000 for a new life-saving treatment in Japan.

To help raise the money, schoolfriend Andy Baker has returned to Petersfield from Edinburgh to help.

He is attempting a sponsored cycle challenge of 400km in one day (route below) on Saturday, December 3.

Andy (pictured right with his bicycle) said: “I have to do something as all Reese needs to potentially save his life is money – and if I can get any amount to give him, that will be good. He is amazing – when I speak to him I forget he is actually dying because he talks about it with so much positivity.”

Reese went to The Petersfield School, played rugby for Petersfield, and worked in and around the town before moving to the Isle of Wight with partner Carlie, an NHS nurse.

The devoted couple (top left) have two little girls, three-year- old Olivia and Amelia, one.

He said: “Carlie is my amazing rock, and we have been fighting this battle as a family .

“And while I count my lucky stars I’m still here for them, my options for a cure are running out – I can’t sit still and let this cancer destroy our family.”

Since 2018 Reese has endured operations with years of chemotherapy inbetween.

But the NHS treatments are no longer effective, and he may have only a year to live.

Since learning the news, Reese has been frantically looking for alternative treatments. His search revealed one in Japan that is proven to curb the growth of the cancer tumours and can even cure patients.

Reese added: “I’m in contact with a fellow stage-four bowel cancer patient who has had this treatment and is now in total remission. It is super expensive because it’s made with the body’s own white blood cells.

“The cost is upwards of £50,000 for treatment and possibly up to eight weeks in Japan – but it could just be the one thing that saves my life.”

To sponsor Andy’s bike ride visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/andy-baker-cycles and to donate directly to Reese’s treatment fund visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/reecewpayne where you can also find a link to his blog.