After years of helping others, it's our turn to help him

Hi, my name is Brett and I am hosting this page for my good mate Andrew, better know as Andy to his mates, an ex-career firefighter and former volunteer firefighter.

Andy has recently been diagnosed with Metastatic Melanoma Stage 4, which has spread to other organs. He is in for a long haul to regain his former health, so I have set up this page specifically to help him pay medical expenses and give quality of life, while he goes through physically and mentally exhausting chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

I grew up with Andy and in our late teens, along with a couple of other mates signed on as recruits with the Titirangi Volunteer Fire Brigade. It wasn’t too long before Andy decided to make firefighting his full-time job and in the mid-1980’s joined New Zealand Fire Service career staff. I went in slightly different direction, ending up as a paramedic with St John.

Andy had found his true calling in life as a firefighter and there would be few as dedicated at their job than him. Despite being in the Service for many years, right up until 2017 when he retired due to a recurring back injury, Andy always preferred to be on the front line as a firefighter and never sought progression to officer rank.

Once retired from active duty, Andy moved to Australia to be closer to his sons and now resides in Queensland. While he does have a support network there, he is a son of New Zealand and we are trying our best to support him from this side of the Tasman and I ask for your help in doing so, as Facebook comments, ‘hearts’ and ‘likes’ will not pay his bills.

Along with many others, I was shocked to hear of Andy’s cancer diagnosis, especially as he wasn’t a person who spent a lot of time soaking up sun rays and wonder if his former job may have contributed to his condition. While this is all speculation, it doesn’t change his current situation and that is where we need to put the focus now.

So, I am asking you to please help us care for Andy at this very difficult time in his life and contribute to someone who has spent most of his life working and caring for our wider community.