Update on Kurt: final stretch for Kiwi father's lifesaving treatment

The Kiwi father fighting for one last chance at survival is now in his final stretch.

Six weeks ago 41-year-old Kurt Brunton, who was given less than a year to live, flew to the United States to be put on a groundbreaking clinical trial.

After several rounds of chemotherapy, Brunton's immune cells - known as T cells - were taken out of his body and genetically engineered into "killer cells".

On Friday, over 1.5 million of these cells were inserted back into his body to "work their magic".

In the latest video diary the Herald received from Brunton, he said it was a moment they had been waiting on for a long time and it was very exciting to see it finally happen.

"It was pretty special," Brunton said nearly in tears.

Over the next four weeks the cells will hunt out Brunton's cancer and with a little bit of hope "do their job".

Brunton's wife Janelle Brunton-Rennie said the procedure went well but he will remain in hospital for the next few days to be monitored closely as the treatment involves "an aggressive reboot of the immune system with a number of potential very dangerous side effects," Brunton-Rennie said.

She has been with her husband through "the most critical moments" and was on her way back to New Zealand to return to their one-year-old daughter Sage.

Brunton will remain in the care of his mother for the remainder of his time in the US.

The Remuera accounting software commercial manager has been battling an aggressive form of blood cancer since January.

Two months ago his condition escalated dramatically spreading to five tumours around his body.

His doctor had begun prepping him for palliative care as no further treatment was available in New Zealand.

This clinical trial was Brunton's last hope.