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Support Jennifer Rowlands and her family on their difficult Melanoma Journey

  • The power of community: Jen's remission achieved with your help

      31 July 2023

    Dear Supporters,

    We have some incredible news to share with all of you! Thanks to your support and generous donations, Jen's cancer is now in remission. Your contributions have saved her life by funding the treatment that made all the difference.

    When several melanoma metastases were discovered in Jen's brain and lungs the prognosis was bleak, with typical life expectancy ranging from 1 to 3 months.

    Thanks to your incredible support and her SUPERSTAR oncologist Richard North (shout-out to him!), Jen had immediate access to non-funded braf inhibitors. These worked wonders. Within just two weeks, all her tumours shrank by half, allowing her brain to be more favourable for the life-saving combined immunotherapy, again including non-funded treatments. Today, we are overjoyed to share that Jen's private treatment has been incredibly successful, and no tumours are currently detected on her brain or lungs in her CT scans.

    We cannot express enough gratitude. Your donations, meals, thoughts, prayers, and all the support you provided played a crucial role in Jen's recovery. You have been with her and her family every step of the way, and they believe they couldn't have achieved this without you.

    "There is no power greater for change than a community discovering what it cares about." (Margaret J Weatley)

    We will be closing our Givealittle page.

    Please know you’ve made a difference, and I hope this motivates you to support causes on here.

    On behalf of,

    Jen, Brent, and family

      3 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

    • 01/08/2023 by Chrissie Halpin

      This is just amazing news! So pleased for you all. Thanks so much for the update.

    • 01/08/2023 by Kelly Fogden

      The best news. So glad to hear. I'm also stage 4 with breast cancer to lungs. Hoping for similar and currently funding keytruda immunotherapy myself. X

    • 02/08/2023 by Vic

      That's fantastic news and I'm glad that my small donation helped⚓

  • Stuff.co.nz article

      3 March 2023
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    Hi Supporters,

    Just popping by to share an article about Jen published on Stuff.co.nz this morning, link below.

    Jen's story is not just about her battle with cancer. It's also about the systemic inequities in accessing cancer treatments in New Zealand. As Annemarie Quill highlights in her this article, New Zealand is far behind other countries when it comes to funding cancer treatments. It's heartbreaking that someone like Jen is denied access to the treatment that could save her life simply because PHARMAC does not fund it.

    But Jen's story is also one of hope and resilience. By sharing her story and raising awareness about the challenges faced by cancer patients in New Zealand, she's providing a voice for others who are going through similar struggles. It takes tremendous courage to be vulnerable and share such a personal experience with the world, and we're so proud of Jen for doing so.

    As her friends and supporters, we can help by continuing to spread the word about Jen's situation and advocating for fair access to cancer treatments for all New Zealanders. Every donation, every message of support, and every share on social media helps. Thank you all for your continued support, Libby.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plenty/300812604/death-sentence-for-mum-with-skin-cancer-without-100k-for-the-drugs-she-needs

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  • An update about Jen - 14 Feb 2023

      14 February 2023
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    Dear friends and supporters,

    We would like to express our deepest gratitude for the donations made for Jen. The outpouring of support and generosity from everyone has been heartwarming, and we cannot thank you enough.

    As you know, Jen has been diagnosed with advanced stage 4 melanoma. The cancer has spread to her lungs and across all four lobes of her brain. It's been a difficult time for Jen and her whanau, but with your support and the help of modern medicine, we remain hopeful and optimistic.

    Jen recently started a new drug treatment (dabrafenib and trametinib) designed to shrink her tumours temporarily, and we are happy to report that it is working. This drug, however, is only a temporary solution, as her specialist has informed us that cancer will eventually outsmart it. The purpose of this drug is to minimise the trauma on her brain so she can commence immunotherapy, which is her only chance of survival.

    Unfortunately, one of the planned immunotherapy treatments is not funded by Pharmac (Ipiliminub), and her medical insurance provider does not cover drugs that are not pharmac-funded either. Jen's medical costs will add up to over $100,000.00. Although this may seem daunting, we have been advised that this immunotherapy has a 60% success rate of working for Jen in the long term. There is still a chance of completely eradicating her cancer, giving her and her family many more years of life together.

    Jen needs the support of the wider community to access this life-saving treatment. Contributions will go towards the cost of her medical treatment and will give her the chance to beat this cancer and live a full and happy life.

    We understand that these are difficult times for many people, and we truly appreciate any and all support, no matter how big or small. Whether you can donate, or simply share this Givealittle page with your friends and family, your help is genuinely appreciated.

    Brent and Jen would like to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of their hearts for your kindness and generosity. Your support is giving them the strength and courage to face this difficult journey with hope and optimism.

    Please keep Jen in your thoughts and prayers, and we will keep you updated on her progress.

    With gratitude, Libby

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