Help Jo fight Cancer

Thank you all very much for the support and generosity you have shown for my wife, Jo. We are overwhelmed by the support and good wishes that keep pouring in. The generosity shown by you all has helped us reach NZ$ 40,000 - some through the cause page and some as direct deposit to my bank account. In addition, we have family savings of around NZ$ 30,000.

Jo is reaching the end of stage 1 of her present treatment - chemotherapy, ending on 02 June 2015. Her oncologist now wants to get on to Kadcyla (T-DM1) treatment after a short gap of a couple of weeks. Jo's cancer is very aggressive and his concern is that it will resurface very fast if the treatment is delayed.

I am humbly appealing to you to kindly help us meet our shortfall of around NZ$ 50,000 to save my wife's life. This would keep our hopes alive and give her strength to fight her cancer.

And now, here is Jo's story:

October 2008. There I was hard at work when I got the devastating news that my wife, Jo, had Breast Cancer. My son, a university student at the time, came home to an utterly shocked mother and father. One visit to the doctor and it was clear that it was not the average type of cancer, it was Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) – a very rare, very fast growing, high risk cancer. Jo was given a life expectancy of 3 to 6 months.

While shaken to the bone, Jo mustered the courage to stand up tall and battle the cancer. And thus began her now 6 year and counting journey of harsh treatments and chemicals. Here’s her story:

Her first treatment was Chemotherapy, lasting 4 and a half months, followed by 2 months of Radiotherapy. After a short break, she underwent 2 and a half years of Hormone Therapy.

This was merely the start though as she had to have another round of Chemotherapy, and Herceptin, for about 9 months.

August 2013 saw the start of round 3 of Chemotherapy and Herceptin, an another 8 month ordeal.

With options running out and lacking finances, Jo finally took the bold decision against her biggest fear and went under the knife. On 28 May 2014, she had a Total Mastectomy of the right breast. The surgery was successful with a 15 cm cancerous mass (as in IBC there is no regular tumour), part of chest wall lining and muscle being removed. We, as a family, felt the dark shadow of cancer finally disappear.

But this joy was short-lived. While going through Hormone Therapy yet again for post-surgery assurance, the cancer recurred in the same area. Though thankfully not secondary cancer, it is still back.

Now, as of February 2015, she is back on Chemotherapy. The prognosis is scary to say the least – as a last resort, the doctor has recommended a new, considerably stronger chemical for Chemotherapy known as T-DM1 (Kadcyla). This is to overcome the high probability of the cancer from ulcerating – which is life threatening, and just maybe, opening up the possibility of another surgery. And the cost associated with this chemical? NZD 100,000.

So the final countdown has begun and saving her from severe pain and complications is all that’s left to fight for. But as Jo always says “If I go down, I’ll go down fighting”, and fight we will.

A beautiful, strong and smart woman whom I married 36 years ago; a loving, caring and dedicated mother of 25 years, please help us help Jo fight this cancer.

We would be very humbled by your generosity, as it would literally be the difference between life and death.