Help Paekākāriki support our kaumatua and his whānau with urgent medical costs

$29,619 of $80,000 goal

Given by 209 generous donors in 6 weeks

Help Paekākāriki support our kaumatua and his whānau with urgent medical costs. Ahi kā: Please help keep the homefires burning.

Paekakariki, Wellington

Kaumatua Karl Farrell of Ngāti Haumia ki Paekākāriki has been diagnosed with cancer and we are asking people to help to give him the best chance for a longer and more comfortable life. Funds are urgently needed to meet the significant cost of several months of medication (Pembrolizumab/Keytruda). This medication won’t be funded by the government until late 2024, and needs to start now. Each three-weekly dose costs $13,000.

Karl provides community service every week, most often voluntarily: speaking at tangi, functions, kura, and community events. Providing blessings, endless advice, knowledge and wisdom. He and his whānau are Ahi kā, and our community has benefitted so much from Karl and those who came before him. It’s time for us to pay it back. If you’re new to the village, please pay it forward.

Karl’s grandmother, Miriona Mutu Mira Budge, once owned a large section of land next to Wainui Stream, stretching from ocean to railway. She wanted this land to be for her whānau and an injustice in the way it was taken continues today. Karl continues to lead the fight to remedy this wrong. Many stand in support of this mahi and have asked how they can help. Other calls to action in relation to the land that was taken will come. Right now, with our wealth, we need to support the health of our beloved kaumatua.

We welcome you commenting why this matters to you, and ask that you forward this to others so we can all do our bit.

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Use of funds

Payment for drug treatment (Pembrolizumab/Keytruda) to give Karl Farrell the best chance of a longer and more comfortable life. Any surplus funds will support Karl and his whānau through this time, as needed.

Latest update

Update 12 September 2024

Posted by: Karl Farrell

Tena koutou katoa,

First and foremost we would like to extend our gratitude and heartfelt thank yous to each and everyone of you who have donated to this give a little, big or small, it all adds up. We are so mind blown at the amount of tautoko we have received.

Just a wee update:

After having quite a few chats with Karls oncologist as a whanau we have decided to look into travelling up to Palmerston North as we have heard it is slightly cheaper, We are currently waiting for a consultation appointment.

We also found out this week that the type of cancer Karl has will unfortunately NOT be apart of the 80% that pharmac is funding for public use and although that is a set back we as a whanau are still remaining positive as we have been blessed from our whanau, Hapori , friends and neighbors via thia give a little with almost $30k to fund the medication needed.

On behalf of Karl, Beryl and our whanau we would love to mihi to everyone again. We are so astounded by the flood of aroha, manaaki and tautoko we have received. We seriously cannot find the words to describe just what this means to us all.

Ēhara tāku toa i te toa takatahi, engari he toa takitini.

Our strength is not made from us alone, but made from many.

No reira ko tenei te mihi aroha kia koutou katoa.

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