Our friend Jen - stage 4 breast cancer treatment for a single Mum and wildlife advocate.

$19,949 of $150,000 goal

Given by 105 generous donors in around 5 months

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Fundraising for non- subsidised life lengthening treatment a wonderful friend and Mum.

Nelson

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Last year, we celebrated Jen getting the all clear from a shocking breast cancer diagnosis. This year, Jen discovered that she now has stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, with secondary growths in her hip, lymph nodes, and chest wall.

Recently, after a trip back home to see her family in the states, Jen went back to hospital for some scans, and although her cancer has not spread - her chest tumour has grown. Unfortunately this means she must now begin a very expensive non subsidised treatment. approximately $150,000 is needed for this option.

Jen is a single mother, with family over the other side of the world in the states. We, her village, need to support her through her treatment and to provide legacy care for her boys.

This is a hand no one should ever be dealt, and as Jen begins her life lengthening treatment, she is immediately met with hurdles - hospital stays, infections, and reactions to medications. There are so many unknowns, but one thing we can do is help create funds to provide her some financial relief for her treatment, and to support Noah and Logan, her wonderful young boys to enjoy those moments and make beautiful memories with their gorgeous Mum.

Emma Matthews' involvement (page creator)

Jen is my friend. Our children have grown up together in Nelson, New Zealand.

Use of funds

Making lasting memories, making Jens home comfortable, cost of living travel costs and care for Jen, Logan, and Noah

Next steps, self-funding chemo at private hospital 16 August 2026

Posted by: Jen Germano

I had a CT scan a couple of weeks ago. While the cancer hasn’t spread, unfortunately some of my existing tumours have started growing again. I was hoping for a long break from treatment, but sadly that’s not to be.

Tomorrow I head to Christchurch for a bone scan and radiation treatment to my hip, which I’m hoping will help with some of the chronic pain. Then, in a couple of weeks, I’ll be starting chemo again — indefinitely.

Unfortunately, the best treatment options for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer aren’t funded through the NZ public health system. So I’ll be transferring to a private hospital and self-funding a drug called Trodelvy, at a cost of around $150,000 for the first year.

This part makes me incredibly sad. I’ve received amazing care from the doctors and nurses in the public system, and I’m so grateful for everything they’ve done for me. But the gaps and underfunding in our healthcare system have become painfully real. Treatment that would be a standard option overseas simply isn’t available to people like me here.

So I'm looking at using whatever funds I have and have already had some offers of help from amazing family and friends to buy some more time with my boys ❤️ I've spent the last few weeks trying to find a better option but I guess this is what cancer care comes down to here, Give A Little pages and hope... 🤞🏻🍀💕 At least I have the opportunity to try and I'm so very grateful for that.

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