Bone Marrow For Life

"I was originally diagnosed with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia in March 2010 and received a stem cell transplant in July 2010 from an unrelated stem cell donor from the United States of America.

Prior to this I had lived a healthy, active life and my diagnosis came as a complete shock.

I enjoyed a period of remission of two and a half years and enjoyed travelling during this time until I relapsed at the end of 2012.

I returned home to NZ to my specialist to embark on getting my condition under control again. Unfortunately it has gotten to the stage where there are no options left for me in New Zealand.

It has been a year and a half of facing round after round of chemo while trying to keep myself healthy and positive while exploring my options.

Thankfully my specialist supports me in my fight for life and in my fight for the only known curative medical treatment - a second stem cell transplant.

I have been accepted for a transplant in Seattle, USA where there is access to pre-conditioning treatment specific for my disease not available in NZ.

As you may imagine the cost of medical treatment in the United States is astronomical. Based on a quote we have been provided by Seattle Cancer Care Alliance we are aiming to raise $1.3million. This will hopefully cover the costs of an initial specialist consultation, stem cell transplant, donor stem cell collection, additional chemotherapy if required, follow-up care, flights, and towards basic accommodation and some living costs for Raymond, my parents and me, and the return of my body should the worst case scenario occur.

Should time and health allow, we would like to visit Bethel church in Redding, California who are well known for healing through prayer.

All donations are going into a trust account and can only be released by approval of an independent trustee. Any unused funds will be donated to the New Zealand Leukaemia Foundation.

I want to beat this disease so I can enjoy a normal life. I dream of making my own home one day with my husband, having a veggie garden to muck around in, dinner parties, lazy weekends, holidays away and precious time with friends and family.....the simple things in life that are often taken for granted!"