The Donaldson’s Continue to Fight - Urgent Help Needed to Fund Offshore Cancer Treatment for their son Hugo

Sam and Aaron’s 11-year-old son, Hugo, has endured what no child should. In January 2024, at just 9 years old, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma - a rare and aggressive childhood cancer.

After 9 rounds of high-dose chemotherapy and 28 sessions of radiation, Hugo was declared clear in August 2024. Sadly, whilst on maintenance chemotherapy, he relapsed in March 2025 and began another intensive chemotherapy regime. Despite initial progress, scans in September 2025 revealed further cancer growth. Within days, Hugo went from having a sore leg to being unable to walk, wheelchair-bound and in severe pain.

He has since undergone further radiation and change in treatment, but options in NZ are running out.

Hugo has been accepted into a CAR T therapy clinical trial in the US. While the treatment itself is free, hospital and living costs are not and total around $500,000 NZD, payable upfront.

Sam and Aaron are applying to withdraw their KiwiSaver, selling assets, and exploring every option they can, but they can’t do it alone. Every donation, big or small, helps get Hugo closer to potentially life-saving treatment and the chance to be a normal kid again which the Donaldsons are desperate for.

If the overseas treatment can’t proceed, option to direct funds to other treatment or Hugo-related care which we will update as we go

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