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Help Make Time Count for Kiwi Drummer with Terminal MND Diagnosis - every day matters

  • It's been a while but I'm still here! Updates and our next goal

      27 March 2026
    Posted by: Christopher Kemp
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    Sorry it's been so long since we posted an update! We have been really busy making memories and adjusting to living well with MND.

    Since we last spoke - Thanks to your generosity! We have travelled to the United States and back,

    We travelled to Melbourne to see Oasis and visit my sister Karen,

    We travelled to the South Island, to take Bella on a bucket trip to Milford Sound,

    Kendall and I have started to write some music together!

    We went to the very last Splore Festival,

    We took part in Round The Bays and raised $2200 for Motor Neurone Disease NZ!

    We had a concrete footpath installed to accommodate my heavy duty wheelchair,

    Plus so many more awesome adventures.

    I'm doing well considering I am now using a wheelchair 90% of the time - It has given me a sense of independence and freedom.

    A friend has generously donated an electric wheelchair that we can use for travel, unfortunately transferring in and out of our car with this chair has become difficult and nerve-racking.

    Which brings me to our next challenge - being able to take my heavy duty wheelchair places would alleviate so much stress. Our current vehicle is not suitable and options for transport from Thames to my Waikato Hospital appointments are limited.

    We are now focusing on raising enough funds to buy a wheelchair van.

    Please consider sharing around to help us achieve this next goal!

    Thank you so much for ongoing love and support.

    Chris, Kendall, Bella and Sam xx

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  • Open target

      22 September 2025

    Hi all,

    Thank you to everyone who has donated so far, your generosity is deeply appreciated.

    With the ongoing costs involved in Chris's battle with MND we've removed the target because the fight is far from over 🥊

    Please, if you can continue to contribute they will be accepted gratefully and also share with whomever or however you can.

    With much love and gratitude ❤️

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  • We're Heading On Our Big Adventure!

      9 May 2025
    Posted by: Christopher Kemp
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    Hi everyone!

    It feels like this day has been so long coming.

    We're at the airport, about to get on a flight to the USA!

    We will make sure to post some updates here for you all to follow along.

    We can't thank you all enough for your generosity. If it weren't for you all, we wouldn't be heading on this adventure. Thank you for helping us to make memories as a family!

    Love from Chris, Kendall, Bella and Sam xx

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  • A Few Updates - Plus, Amazing Custom Atomic Snare Drum Up For Auction!

      17 April 2025
    Posted by: Christopher Kemp
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    I am so honoured to share that the wonderfully kind and generous Dave Morello from Atomic Drums has built a custom F**KMND snare drum to auction for me!!!

    We visited Dave this weekend and got to see the beautiful drum in person - It glitters like a galaxy and is so beautifully made.

    There were many tears - It is a struggle for me to hold drum sticks any more but I am still enjoying this drum!

    The auction can be found on TradeMe - If you'd like to bid or share around. I have also shared a video in this update that shows the process of Dave making the drum!

    https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/music-instruments/instruments/drums/individual-drums/listing/5267116911

    This wonderful news has come at a really good time - about 6 weeks ago, I was admitted to hospital to have a gastrostomy tube (feeding tube) installed, it has been a long and hard recovery but I have finally come through the other side of this rough time, and this auction has really helped to lift my spirits.

    We have also gone through the difficult process of renovating our bathroom to accomodate my disability - Which wouldn't have been possible without your support. Thank you!!

    I am also excited to share that our big overseas adventure has been booked and is coming up in about 3 weeks time, we are so excited and grateful - It is all of your support that has enabled us to book this adventure and make memories as a family.

    I look forward to giving you some more updates soon!

    Chris x

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  • Some Happenings from The Last Few Months

      17 January 2025
    Posted by: Christopher Kemp
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    In the past few months we have been getting back to nature and doing as much hiking and walking as we can!

    It started with Kendall, our friend Deb and I doing an overnight hike climbing Mount Pirongia! You will see some of the incredible scenery in the linked video. A mountain we have wanted to climb for many years.

    Then at the start of this month, we walked the Rakiura Track on Stewart Island, one of the New Zealand Great Walks! We got to share it with our dear friends Wendy and Martin. It was a challenging and rewarding 3 days walking, and included a stay in a haunted hotel in Bluff!

    When we got back, I celebrated attending my 100th parkrun. A goal that has been 12 years in the making! I have also made progress with setting up our very own parkrun here in Thames - and was featured in the local newspaper.

    All of these bucket list activities have been made possible with your support.

    Having so many things to do and look forward to makes a hard situation a little bit more bearable!

    Thank you so much to you all, and I hope the new year sees you feeling loved and supported.

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  • Chrisfest

      22 October 2024
    Posted by: Christopher Kemp
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    Last month it was an honour to have a whole festival organized for me.

    Chrisfest was advertised as a night of music and love raising funds for me and our family, and it truly was just that.

    There were so many amazing surprises on the night, The Bads played a cover of The Ramones 'I Wanna Be Sedated', Beth Torrance played a cover of 'Pet Sematary' and Adam McGrath surprised me with a whole set of my favorite songs.

    We were also so grateful for our friend Will Saunders who not only played a cracking set, but also designed the event poster, and a bonus Ramones logo style design that we printed on t shirts.

    There were so many of you there, and a whole heap of friends and family - we are so pleased to say it was a sold out show!

    It was also quite an emotional night, getting to play on the same bill as my son Sam and his band Video Nasty, as well as playing my last live show with Kendall - unfortunately it's not so easy to hold drum sticks any more.

    I want to say a huge thank you to Lulu Macrae and Matthew Crawley and the Double Whammy Bar family who worked so hard to plan the event and make sure it went without a hitch - right down to making sure the event was wheelchair accessible. Thank you so much to all of the acts involved!

    We received a huge amount of love and care to fill us up and bolster our spirits for the challenges we have ahead. We really feel so supported by our musical community!

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  • The Tuesdays and The Community of Thames

      6 October 2024
    Posted by: Christopher Kemp
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    We have been so blown away by the care and generosity of our local Thames community.

    A few weeks ago Greg Hampton, the owner of one of our favorite stores in Thames, Carson's Bookshop and guitarist of local band The Tuesdays - organized a koha entry gig at the local Squash club in my honour. The Tuesdays played some really cool tunes, ranging from Courtney Barnett, to PJ Harvey, to Fur Patrol. It was a really fun night where we got to meet a whole lot more people in Thames (including the Mayor, Len Salt!) and boogie to some great tunes!

    The next morning, Greg came around and presented me with $1000 raised from the night, and a gift of some music related books. We were in tears.

    Thank you so much Greg and the Community of Thames for your support and donations. We added the donation to the page here, and used $50 to cover the givealittle donation fee.

    We couldn't be in a better place to face the challenges we have ahead.

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  • The first order has arrived!

      24 September 2024
    Posted by: Christopher Kemp
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    Thanks to all of your generosity, I have been able to make a large order of supplements, as well as a device called an EMST 150 that helps train my respiratory strength! It was like Christmas opening these boxes!

    Thank you all so much!

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  • THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

      12 September 2024
    Posted by: Christopher Kemp
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    Just, wow!

    When my good mate Dave created this page, I never imagined it would raise this amount, in just 24 days!

    To each and every one of you, a huge heartfelt thank you!

    Now, we can start to put into action the plans we could only hope for.

    I would have made a video but I can't stop blubbering!

    Lots of love to you all

    Chris, Kendall, Bella and Sam x

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