Carlos vs Cancer: The Fight of a lifetime
Help support Carlos in the battle of his life. Help Carlos beat cancer!
Canterbury
In May this year Carlos received the news no-one ever wants to hear. He had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), a aggressive form of cancer that affects your bone marrow and blood cells.
The symptoms came on quickly. Over the space of a few days Carlos went from being fit and full of energy to feeling weak and short of breath. Initially the doctors thought it was allergies; then at a subsequent visit the doctors thought it could be asthma. Not getting any better, Carlos went to the Emergency Department where his condition worsened; he was first diagnosed with pneumonia and put on machines to help him breath, then additional tests confirmed he had cancer.
Carlos was transferred to the Hematology unit at Auckland City Hospital where the medical team focused on helping him first fight the pneumonia. After his condition stabilised, a couple of days later, he started his first 10-day cycle of cancer treatment; of intense chemotherapy to attack the cancerous blood cells.
Carlos's initial stay in hospital lasted 5 weeks and he faces another 3 cycles of chemotherapy in the coming months. Carlos is 31 years old and has a fighting chance to beat this, however the road to recovery will be long. A main focus for him will be to rest.
Carlos has the support of his amazing partner Dan, and their two puppies Bennie and Milo, however both Carlos and Dan's families live outside of New Zealand and cannot travel here due to Covid.
To complicate things further, before Carlos was admitted to hospital, he and his partner had decided to move to Christchurch. They were due to leave Auckland in just a few days and all their belongings were sent south just before Carlos was admitted to hospital.
In anticipation of their move, Carlos and Dan had both given notice to their current employers; and now Carlos will not be able to work for at least the next year.
Carlos is now facing the next stage of his battle in a new city, without the support of the community he had cultivated in Auckland. This is an extremely stressful time for Carlos, Dan, their families, and groups of friends. Carlos need's our support.
Tim Cunliffe's involvement (page creator)
A friend trying to help a friend.
Use of funds
All proceeds will help Carlos ease the financial stress of not being able to work i.e. covering rent, food, power/heating, and other daily living expenses. Any funds raised in excess of the initial target will continue to serve this purpose.
Latest update
Things are looking Up 14 December 2021
To my amazing Friends and Family,
This will be my one of my last updates on this page.
In contrast from last time things have gotten much better.
➡️ I have been focusing on my recovery and re-introduction back into society and "normal life”.
🚶🏽 I can go on long hikes and I have just been able to start exercising, light exercise of course.
🥣 I can finally eat and drink what I want without thinking if it is going to cause me any infections.
📚I have just started my masters degree, and I am studying full time but in January I will switch to part time as I have also landed a really nice job and I am absolutely thrilled about it.
As you can see life is sweet, it's taking some time to adjust but I'm nearly there.
💉 I'm doing well health wise, so much that I have got my first covid jab.
🩺 I don't have to see the doctors anymore 😀 ! I just have to go for a blood check up every 3 months or so to make sure that the cancer has not come back, which I'm sure it won't, as doctors gave me the best treatment possible and are very confident and positive as my prognosis has always been good - I mean, it's still cancer but at least the one where there was no need of stem cell transplant.
2 Out of 3 tests they do with bone marrow samples have come back negative for residuals of leukaemia.
🩸 We are still waiting for the 3rd one to extra confirm that is the case, that sample has been sent to Melbourne in Australia (pretty flash, my blood gets to travel more than I do these days).
We can almost say that I am in remission!!! It's kind of like I've graduated but I don't have the certificate.
🙏 I'd like to thank you and acknowledge the amazing and overwhelming response that I received through this page and in my situation, I couldn't have done this without your positive and kind words.
💚 Every call, every message, every email, every video and every hospital visit meant the world to me.
💙 It was amazing to reconnect with people from all stages of my life, primary, secondary, high school, previous work colleagues, and people that I've met in my travels, all of you mean the world to me!!!
💙 💚💙 I am incredibly humbled by the love and support that you have given me.
❤️🩹 Finally would like to thank my nurses and doctors that have been nothing but kind considerate and accurate throughout this whole experience, you have saved my life and made me feel better on the most horrific days.
🎗️I will let you all know when the "certificate" comes back to confirm my full remission.
💛 Aroha,
Carlos 💛
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