Help Chester Borrows

Chester Borrows, a former policeman, lawyer, Member of Parliament for Whanganui, Minister of the Crown, and well known to many across the community, has head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). Following surgery, radiation and chemotherapy the cancer is now terminal and Chester has begun a series of treatments which are not funded by the health system. He, his wife and family are naturally devastated, and are using their own resources and savings to pay $8,000 per dose for a drug called Keytruda which is administered by IV and is a relatively new treatment path called immunotherapy. He needs eight doses before the pharmaceutical company covers the cost. Keytruda will hopefully give him some quality of life and prolong the time he has left. He has two daughters who will have summer weddings, he has a brand-new grandchild he wants to enjoy, and his son and family are intending to return to New Zealand from Canada later this year.

At times like these it is difficult to know how to help. Here is a man who is just 65, who has so much to live for and we know we want to do something – but what?

A group of us have persuaded Chester and Ella people would like to support them with their costs. An acknowledgement of the work Chester has done in the community but also a response to a family in a very sad situation. Would you like to support them?