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Help us Support Our Son, Brother, Husband and Father, Michael Battling Stage Four Inoperable Melanoma Cancer

  • Thanks Alexia and Matt

      14 June 2016

    Just thought I'd mention that Mikes sister Alexia has been tirelessly working away behind the scenes helping to get things organised, talking to her contacts and making things happen, it may not seem it at times Dear, but it is all appreciated.

    Also, our son in-law Matt has been supporting her in doing these various endeavours and even chipping in support by offering his services as prizes and his company web-page to link to the Givealittle website.

    You guys are appreciated for your generosity and hard work, so thanks guys.

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  • A big thanks to Preet and Co.

      14 June 2016

    A big thanks to Preet and Co from the Manukau city Harcourts for all the Support that you guys have shown Mike and his Family. It's great to see Donations trickling in on a daily basis, it means that their struggle and just achieving Basic things that everyone takes for granted that much easier.

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  • Well Done Siniva and her Extended family

      12 June 2016

    Well done Siniva, and your wonderful Family that supported you with your Garage sale yesterday to help raise some funds for your Husband Mike.

    It was great to see your family there to support you, and they did so wonderfully.

    It makes me proud to see that you are in there fighting to help Mike and he's a lucky young man to have snagged you....lol.

    It really was heart-warming to see your Mom, Aunties, Uncles, Sister and Cousins there supporting you, not just in spending money but also in there manning different stations to help relieve what is a stressful time.

    God bless you and your family.

    I was also great that Alexia, Matt and Mom were in amongst the mix doing their bit.

    Oh , and great Job to everyone, you guys managed to raise $1195.10.

    Awesome Job.

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  • We are Humbled by the caring and giving that people are showing Michael

      9 June 2016

    It is truly amazing that two local companies have gotten behind this cause for Michael and have over the last two(2) days managed to contribute over $7,500.00 to help Michael in his battle with Melanoma.

    Last Night it was the Manukau City Branch of the Harcourts Real Estate company Preet & Co. that held an Auction on their premises for various prizes and Managed to raise over $5,000.00 with the awesome help from Mel G and Preet whom with their personal involvement managed to secure some really wonderful prizes, Also they managed to get the support of the Ellerslie Branch of Harcourt involved and it made for a great night.

    Some of the prizes included a Hotel Stay in Taupo, at the Taupo Hilton , a Copy Of the Air New Zealand Kiora that has Sony Bill Williams Signature on it, (now that came with a bit of a side story), but that is for another Day, and a few other Local companies which helped by putting up goods and services, including Local Plumbing contractor Castle Plumbing

    The second company that has made another huge contribution and is continuing to support Michael and his family was a Local Early childhood learning centre by the name of Treasure Cove, whom with the help and support of the Owner: Peter, the Centre Manager Jonelle, the support of the other Aunties and the Families of the Children that actually attend Treasure Cove, managed to raise $2500.00 from Raffles and Donations, with some awesome prizes including a signed Rugby Jersey from the Auckland Blues, Grocery Hampers, Family Passes to the Peter Pan Show that is coming Up and just before the prizes were drawn a Local Builder/ Cabinet Maker has offered to Make a frame for the Blues Jersey as part of that prize.

    To you all: God Bless you and thank you very Much.

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  • Oncology Visit yesterday

      31 May 2016

    Well Mike went for his Oncology visit yesterday which means Chemo is tomorrow, something he's not looking forward to.

    Seems that every time Mike has the Dacarbazine the arrhythmias come thick and fast.

    It just doesn't seem fair that whilst he's dealing with the fall out from the Chemo he's also having to live and deal with the different Arrhythmias that it seems to cause.

    It is extremely uncomfortable to him and might I say incredibly worrying, not knowing if these Arrhythmias are damaging his heart muscle or not.

    He's a strong man, but I would venture to say that even strong men have their limits, and then like the rest of us, begin to worry about every unexplained feeling that seems to pop up around the body.

    Not forgetting that he had surgery to try and remove the melanoma just mere weeks ago.

    Stay strong young man, we all support you and love you, we just don't know what your feeling or how to help you cope, but you have to believe that we are all doing the best we can.

    On that note, when we spoke to mikes oncologist yesterday she told us that Mike has a CAT scan coming up and at that stage she will have a fairer idea of what has been going on with the growth.

    We will have to wait and see about that and try to help Mike get through the next Chemo as best we can.

    Once again, thank you to all you generous people that have donated, it is all very humbling to be a part of something like this where you are relying in the generosity of others. we thank and Bless you all.

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  • Sometimes the devil is in the detail

      20 May 2016

    The announcement from the Government that they were adding a top up to Pharmac for the purchasing of selective Drugs to help with Cancers, Hepatitis and a few other problems like Brain Tumours etc, has had a detrimental effect on our donations, and I would assume on most donations for Patients seeking the help of other generous people.

    I believe that they all have good intentions, but for those that really need to get the Drugs like the Keytruda, Time is of the essence, and Pharmac has indicated that it should be able to release some of this new funding to certain drugs around July the 1st.

    Doesn't seem long to most of us, but for people dying from various cancers and other ailments, it is a lifetime.

    And who gets access to these drugs is anyone's guess, or not, I don't know. Which in itself is quite distressing for us, the families, let alone the patients.

    I am thankful to The Spark foundation for this website, and I am extremely grateful to All the people who have already given donations to help save Michael's life, I just ask with all sincerity that if you find yourself directed to this web-page, please continue to Donate and feel free to leave a comment on the web-page or ask a question, I might take a few days to answer you, but I will try to make sure that I do answer you.

    Once again it is very Humbling to us that the generosity of other people is such that it becomes an uplifting experience and reflects that we still believe in helping those less fortunate.

    Bless you all.

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  • Sorry for the slow updates

      20 May 2016

    I'd just like to say Sorry for the slow updates, it's just trying to keep up with Hospital visits, helping to try and normalise everything and deal with the emotional fall out that something like this invariably throws up is quite time consuming.

    Plus you've got to deal with your own stuff.

    I attended the 2nd Chemo treatment with Mike and Siniva and it seemed to go well.

    The next few days however are the ones that we are learning to watch out for.

    Day 1; still feeling OK. just a little seedy, night time of this day starts to throw up Heart arrhythmias that are sometimes hard for Mike to control, ensuring a hospital stay:

    Day 2, More of the same as last night, with the added bonus of feeling really disgusting and the ability of not wanting to do anything because he feels so sick.

    Days 3, 4 and 5 are a slow move back to feeling a wee bit better and over the next week start to feel normal again.

    The second week is more of the same , trying to get back to normal and the third week he's all good. Wondering what all the fuss is about.

    Then we start again.

    We have just raised enough for one treatment of the Keytruda and now are continuing to hope that the momentum keeps going.

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  • Out again On Anzac Day Afternnon

      25 April 2016

    So they seem to have enough confidence that what ever happened has settled somewhat so they have released Mike out of hospital this afternoon, with the advice if his health has problems, go straight back into hospital.

    I can see the logic in that, two ways, One: whilst he's on Chemo, Mike will be vulnerable to infections from anyone and everyone, plus himself, and Two: try and normalise everything as much as possible, because with just the heart problems, Michael is in and out of hospital quite often, now with the added insult of having Cancer, well , the visits into hospital might ramp up a bit more frequently....or not, just don't know. This is all new ground, for him, his wife and the rest of us.

    It's all very frightening for us when we get a phone call saying Mike's going into hospital. I hope it gets a little bit easier and a bit less stressful, for everyone.

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  • Back in Hospital

      25 April 2016
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    Well it took a few days, But the mix of the Chemo Drugs and the balancing act to keep the Warfairn levels right took it's toll.

    Mike got admitted back into hospital Saturday after he started having Heart arrhythmias, probably bought on in some way by his INR spiking to 6.9, which is kind of horrific considering he normally sits around 3.0.

    Full body aches are all part of the process I suppose, but what a miserable week he's had so far.

    Latest news from him was that his warfarin level has dropped down to 4, so that's good. Hopefully some of the aches and pains will slowly disappear and maybe the arrhythmias will slow down as everything settles.

    Bit of a nasty situation when your getting Meds to help you fight the Cancer and they play up merry hotplace with your Heart problems. Sometimes life is a Dog .

    Hope you start to feel well soon Son.

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  • Sent off letter to Health minster and Pharmac

      23 April 2016

    Well as hard as it is for Michael, Having to write a plea for one of your children is Mind Numbing.

    In your Mind you can separate and compartmentalise these shocks to your Psyche, but once you have to write it down, either by letter or email, Shit becomes real. What you could put on the back burner suddenly takes on a whole new urgency.

    He was crook last night when he came over for dinner, and we couldn't really determine if it was the Dacarbazine or the other drugs that he has to take to make sure he stays healthy. Usually an easy going, joking, happy guy, it was hard to see him unwell, unhappy and not very interested in joking around.

    Stay strong Mike, your story is still not told yet, you have another few chapters to write.

    Oh, and the Local Paper did a small interview with Mike and Siniva, so keep an eye open for it in the Manukau Courier next week.

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  • First Chemo Treatment today

      20 April 2016
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    Well Mike had his Introduction to the Chemo side of Oncology today, with having his first treatment using the drug Dacarbazine (DTIC), which is what he will be using until we actually have enough funds to pay for the Keytruda.

    It is Not the Drug of Choice, with only a 10-20% chance of slowing down or maybe shrinking the Melanoma Tumour at all, but Mike had to start Treatments today, so it was what is available now.

    He's feeling slightly out of sorts and probably going to be feeling quite funky over the next couple of Days but that's Chemo evidently.

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  • To Family, Friends and those Generous people that give, Thank you from the Bottom of my Heart.

      19 April 2016

    To Family, Friends and those Generous people that give, Thank you from the Bottom of my Heart.

    It is hard to explain what it feels like to have a Child ( I Know he's 31), come down with something like this and be unable to Fix it.

    The first Photo's that I've posted show the little family unit that Mike, Siniva and James are.

    There will probably be more, as I try and Navigate how to use this Website.

    But for Now, I'm trying to Give my Son the best chance that we as his extended family can, so please be patient as we now start on a whole new chapter that is Michael's life.

    It's very Humbling that there are people out there that will give to complete strangers, ( just this Morning a donation came in from the UK), Half a world away,

    It makes you believe in the Human Spirit, and the generous kindness of one person to another.

    For now, Bless you all and once again Thank you.

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