HELP FOR MELISSA

Melissa is 39 and Mum to Jacob & Blake (15), Lily & Carson (10) and wife to her childhood sweetheart Karl.

When Melissa was 13 she lost her mother to breast cancer. Five years ago Melissa underwent a screening & was found she carried the BRCA2 gene (just like Angelina Jolie ) and in 2010 she had a preventative double mastectomy.

Melissa was diagnosed with Olfactory Esthesioneuroblastoma in September 2014. It is a rare type of cancer which grew on the nerve that supplies her sense of smell. This nerve is situated in the back of her nose, and as a result the tumour grew into her right eye and along the nerve towards the brain.

Melissa had 5 weeks of radiotherapy in October 2014 and then on completion underwent surgery to remove the tumour. On the 1st of May 2015 Melissa was given the heartbreaking news that she has another very aggressive fast growing tumour behind her eye. Surgery to remove the tumour is scheduled for Monday 11th May at Auckland Hospital. Rehabilitation, radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment which could cost up to $5000.00 per month will follow surgery.

Please help us support Melissa and her family through this difficult journey. Our aim is to raise $50,000.00 to help Melissa with treatment costs, travel expenses and for it to become financially viable for Karl to have time off work and allow him to be by her side throughout and spend quality time together as a family.