Jacob (Jaap) Pieter West

Jaap and Sunniva need our support right now - with the latest news that Jaap (Jacob Pieter West) now needs an operation in Auckland.

Although this means that Jaap will get the best possible specialist care in Auckland where there is more experience with these operations, family support becomes more complicated - and more expensive.

Jaap will have a specialist appointment in Auckland in a week or so, then face this operation in 4-6 weeks. He'll have 12 days of Auckland hospital recovery post-op before returning to Wellington. This is not a time for Jaap to be alone.

This has been a marathon for Jaap, his partner Brittany, mum Sunniva and the rest of his family and friends - round after round of progressively more dehabilitating chemo in Dunedin, now on a third round of serious chemo in Wellington and endless hospital procedures and appointments. The Auckland operation is a new complication - made even more complicated by being far from home in Wellington.

We can't take the chemo for Jaap - nor easily swap places with Sunniva at his bed-side. But we can show we care and we're with Jaap and Sunniva in spirit on this long challenging journey, by giving what we can through Give-A-Little right now. Aroha xxx