Paul Herbert - Fund Melanoma Treatment

Paul Herbert is many things. He was a teacher and counsellor at Rangitoto College. A leader of review teams at the Education Review Office. An Avid cyclist and kayaker. An artist. A father of two girls. A grandfather to two boys.

You may know Paul Herbert as a teacher, a colleague, a mentor, a cycling buddy, a friend, a brother, an uncle, a partner …

I know him as my father. And as such I speak to you as his daughter.

My dad is a sustaining positive presence in mine and many other people’s lives. He approaches life and every challenge it presents with a relaxed optimism. This is what makes my dad one of the most admirable people I know.

Now my dad wasn’t always so relaxed. Or quite so positive. But I remember he always strived to better himself. This I admire more than anything else. Most of us have things we could change or improve to better ourselves. But not many of us act on this. My dad did and does. Every day he chooses to be hopeful and take his life as it comes and over the years I have watched my dad relax and truly live his convictions. Now he is that person. I think being able to become the person you want to be is one of the most difficult challenges life can provide. It is not a decision you make one day. It is a decision you make every day.

I, on the other hand, am not like my father. I’m not so relaxed and find it hard to roll with the punches. I am selfish in my love for my father and my want to keep him around for as long as possible which is why I am writing this, to reach out to all of you who know and care about my father, Paul Herbert, to ask for your help.

My dad has melanoma. He has been living with melanoma for many years. In 2005 he had Level 4 Melanoma excised from his right shoulder. In 2007 he had lymph nodes removed from his neck and radiation treatment. In 2012 he had a lesion on his finger and came back the next week with half his finger gone and the lymph nodes under his arm removed due to melanoma. Last year he had tumours removed from his chest and abdomen. At this stage the doctors were very pleased with my dad. His incredible resilience meant that they could foresee him living for 15 years more and being able to see his grandchildren grow up. Those of us who know him can’t help but attribute his body’s ability to fight the disease to his unfailing optimism.

To our great sadness shortly afterwards two tumours were found in my dads brain. Never one to be beaten down dad went through radiation treatment and embraced his new stripy hairstyle while continuing to do the things he loves such as kayaking, cycling and spending time with family and friends. Last week we received the news that the treatment was a success. The tumours shrunk to almost nothing. The bad news: Dad has 4 new brain tumours and a scattering of small tumours in his abdomen. They are already planning radiation therapy to shrink the brain tumours and chemo therapy for the abdominal tumours.

I am starting this donation page for my dad, Paul Herbert, in the hopes of getting him treatment with the drug Ipimumab and possibly Pembrolizumab.

(http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11391164)

The latter drug has had success in treating melanoma and is funded in Australia. In new Zealand however funding is still in the discussion phase. This treatment costs a lot of money. Over $100k. I am asking those who know my father to help him now to live a longer life. I know my dad will accept however long he has with quiet dignity and assurance. But I know I speak for all of those who know my dad when I say we are not ready. It is not his time. We want him around for more years to come. He is one of the best people I know. He is my father. A grandfather to my sons. And they need to know him. They need to know what a man can be. What he can become if he perseveres. Please help to keep my father with us.