Please help Jon fight stage 4 kidney cancer

A huge thank you to everyone who has donated to Jonathan, your generosity has been humbling for our family and it's lovely to realise that so many people care about Jon. Sadly, he has gone downhill and is not well enough to receive the immunotherapy treatments. If it's okay with everyone who donated we would like to put the money raised towards covering Jon's funeral costs and will make donations to both Hospice and Cancer Research. Please let us know if you put yourself in hardship to make this donation and would like it returned. You can contact us on ndouglas@actrix.co.nz. Much love to everybody from Jon, Nikki, Grace and Ella xx

Earlier this year, Jon Douglas was leading a team building an 18m sailing catamaran. He put down the tiredness he was feeling to overwork, however, after a sudden decline in health and a trip to the hospital, he was unfortunately diagnosed with stage four malignant cancer. Over the last few months while undergoing taxing radiation and drug treatments he has become a shadow of his former self. This has been an extremely hard time for Jon, who is usually such an active person that loves sailing and being in the outdoors. Although we have tried all of the government funded options, we are still hopeful that immunotherapy will be successful and that he will make it to Christmas and be back on the water in no time.

Today we found out that the drugs Jon has been taking to slow the cancer haven’t worked. While the original cancer in the kidney and spine are stable, there are now new growths on both lungs and the liver. We are hoping that with the doctors treatment plan he will be well enough to start immunotherapy this coming week. This is a privately funded drug that has had great results for patients with melanoma and lung cancer, however, the success rate for kidneys is around 25-30%. But, as my daughter says, if someone told her that she had those odds of winning the Lotto, she would buy a ticket…and so we’re going for it. Each cycle, however, costs $8,000 and the drug company have capped the amount that patients have to pay at around $70,000.

Jon’s life is priceless to his wife, two daughters and close friends and family, and so we are going to do anything we can to give him his best shot. We are setting up this ‘Give-a-little’ page for anyone who feels they are able to, and would like to contribute. We don’t expect to cover the full amount but every little bit will help and we are incredibly grateful for all the support and love.