The 37-year-old Nundle man was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy (MD) at the age of 12, and despite living what he says was a normal childhood, the degenerative disease is slowly getting worse.

Mr Schofield took the fight against the fatal condition into his own hands by launching a campaign to use himself as a guinea pig for stem cell treatment.

He is hosting the sold-out #StandUpDrew lunch at the Peel Inn Hotel in Nundle on Saturday, hoping to reach his goal of raising $30,000 to be part of a 21-day stem cell program overseas, which could help more than 20,000 Australians and many more worldwide living with MD.

“We’ve got about 130 people (coming to the fundraiser) at the last count,” Mr Schofield said.

“The fundraising is going awesome.

“But with the fundraising comes a lot of education.”

Mr Schofield insists education is just as important than the treatment itself.

He has met with Emeritus Professor Alan Mackay-Sim, the 2017 Australian of the Year, for his work with stem cell research, and has also made contact with a Harvard University professor, who majors in Mr Schofield’s specific strand of MD and has just started human trials.

“I’m trying to still document all of this and keep momentum,” he said.

“The target is somewhat of a moving target.

“The money would be nothing without the support.

“To be 100 per cent transparent, there is heaps of talk about stem sell research, but it’s maybe something that’s not quite invented yet, but we’re right at the start of it.”

Though the lunch is sold out, locals can still show their support by visiting www.gofundme.com/stand-up-drew-stem-cell-trial

“(The lunch) will be 130 of my nearest and dearest together ...120 ears to the ground is better than one,” Mr Schofield said.

“We’re researching all our options and documenting our successes and failures top help other on their journey.”