Help Give Elena More Time with Arlo

Elena is 33, a devoted mum, and a teacher who has spent her whole adult life caring for other people's children. Now she needs our help.

As a teacher and dean, Elena has always looked out for the students and whānau who needed it most. She has gone above and beyond, again and again, because that's who she is: intelligent, kind and deeply empathetic. Her greatest joy is her son, Arlo. He is her whole world, and she is fighting to give him as much time with his mum as she possibly can.

Elena has been battling cancer for over three years. After a year in remission, she has learned that the cancer has spread to her liver. She has already been through chemo, radiation and surgery and is now out of treatment options in the public system. She will do more chemo at the end of this year, but she is carefully balancing extending her time with keeping her quality of life.

To give her the best chance, her family are exploring Keytruda, an immunotherapy drug which is government funded overseas but not in New Zealand where it is only available privately and costs $80,000 year. Elena doesn't like asking for help. But she knows that accepting it could mean more time with her son, so she has agreed to her friends and family setting up this page.

Any amount, big or small, will help to keep this little family together as long as possible. If Keytruda turns out not to be viable, all funds raised will go towards supporting Arlo.

Thank you for caring for Elena the way she has cared for so many others.