Help Me Get To Australia To Give Doug My "Spare" Kidney

Doug Williams (49) is a husband, father of five and a grandfather. He has been too sick to have the kidney transplant he so desperately needs to live a normal life. Dialysis just doesn't work well enough for him and he has been off work for two years due to a fluid build up around his heart, which nearly stopped his heart. This condition is caused by the kidney failure and ironically meant he could not have surgery. He is finally well enough now and we have just completed further, follow-up testing in Brisbane, to confirm we can now go ahead with the operation. How long he will stay well enough is a real concern, so the surgeon has nominated September as the next opportunity he has to book in the operation. We're just waiting for the day to be confirmed.

However, I have used up almost all my remaining leave with a week of tests in Brisbane, so my employer is kindly granting me leave without pay (with no time limit) in addition to the few days annual leave I have left. My husband, David, who is self-employed will travel with me as my support person but he will earn no money while we are away. We face up to 6 weeks in Australia with no income because key-hole surgery may not be possible for removal of the kidney. That's still assuming there are no other complications and we don't have to stay longer or rack up any other medical bills. I may still not be able to work immediately when I get back to New Zealand. Of course it may all go smoothly and I could fly again in 3-4 weeks. We just don't know.

We have already lost almost all our life savings, including the money from our house sale, when our investment "adviser", Tony Lusby, stole all his clients funds and ran off to Columbia, just after we sold up and relocated to Hamilton. As a result we have no savings and still have credit card debts to pay from our daughter's wedding earlier this year. Because Doug had been unwell, we weren't expecting the surgery so soon but now we have to act while there is still a window of opportunity. We have rent and the usual bills to pay, in addition to airfares, accommodation and food.

Originally, Doug was to assist us financially but after 2 years off work, he has only just gone back to work and that may not last long. He will also have no sick leave or annual leave during the surgery and recovery period, so also needs help, himself.

Whilst both NZ and Aussie governments support local kidney donors, there is no "Trans-Tasman" assistance from either government, whatsoever.

Doug and I are the children of an Australian mother and Kiwi father. Doug is an Australian citizen but I am a Kiwi, which creates potential difficulties surrounding medical care for me, if there is any accident on the operating table or any other complications during surgery or my recovery.

We can provide evidence of the procedure and testing process, should that be required.

Any assistance, no matter how small would be gratefully received. You are not only helping me get to Australia and give Doug my "spare" kidney, you are helping him to get his life back. Thank you.