Help for Julia, while she is caring for Ian Robertson

I'm caring for my dear Kiwi friend Ian Robertson, who suffers from terminal lung cancer. It's getting difficult for me financially to keep renewing my visitor visa here in New Zealand as well as covering other costs and needs I have in order to be able to keep doing this.

I was at the beginning of a working holiday in Australia when my friend Ian Robertson was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in June 2015. We bonded over that and I followed my heart and changed my original plans to travel for a year and moved in with Ian for support instead.

I met Ian through 'couchsurfing' four years ago when he hosted my friend and me for a couple of days on our New Zealand travels. Ian was very kind to us and we had a lovely time together. He is a wonderful artist and a very special person.

Remaining home in beautiful Birdlings Flat with his 13 year old son living nearby means everything to Ian and I'm here to make that possible, caring for him full time by now.

I just threw myself into this and had no idea what to expect or what cancer does to people! I'd never been close to anyone that sick before and I see life with different eyes now. It has been a very special but also difficult journey. I've learnt so much and have become very strong in a way to be able to deal with all this now and It's a lot to deal with.

I'm only a visitor in New Zealand and therefore not entitled to work or receive any financial support for caring for Ian. With our journey going on much longer than anyone expected it's getting more complex and expensive to renew my visa. I have very little saving left as I intended to work in Australia and Ian is too sick by now to make an income. Any dollar would make it easier for me to deal with our situation in a financial way.

I used my savings in the past to finance short trips to Aussie every three months to get another visa until that was not possible anymore. It's just been so hard to know how much time we need and what to apply for. I then was given an extension for my tourist visa due to special circumstances. This visa is close to expire again soon and I'm hoping to get another extension, which would include some extra costs for health checks too.

However, it's not only the visa fees and my travel insurance that also needs renewing (my trip from home would've been over by now). It's also that a little bit of extra money would help me to look after myself and remain strong for Ian.

We are quite isolated here in Birdlings Flat and I don't get much of a break. Once a week a friend covers for me and I get half the day off. I then try to get all the energy I need for the rest of the week from that 'Julia time'. I love watching a movie in the cinema or treat myself to a nice meal somewhere. Little things like that really make a difference. On top of spending some time with friends in the city of course, which helps heaps and is for free.

By helping me you are helping Ian of course as this is all about him. He is a wonderful artist and we put his own 'givealittle' up a few months ago, which made a huge difference to our life out here but is now running out slowly.

https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/support4ian

I think 'givealittle' is a wonderful thing as you can make a real difference directly to the person or family that need it. I know already that as soon as I've got a full time job again, I'll give back and help other Kiwis in need.