TRUST TEINA is raising awareness around blood, bone marrow and organ donation.

Teina’s Story: In 2015 at 16 years if age, Teina Terei had an incredible fight ahead after being diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Undergoing treatment, he fought a brave fight with enormous dignity and a great love for those who helped him. He then went into remission. It was a fight he thought he had won, only to find the disease return after 10 months. This meant another set of intensive treatment which was to have been followed by a bone marrow transplant. As it turns out, one of Teina’s two older brothers had an exact blood match which meant he could be the bone marrow donor. It is very rare to have a family match. However before Teina could have the bone marrow transplant, complications set in and sadly, Teina was taken from us suddenly.

Many Maori and Pasifika men do not get the opportunity to have a bone marrow transplant as there are not enough people on the donor registry to help others. Maori and Pasifika people have unique DNA. Trust Teina is working hard to raise awareness around the need for more Maori and Pasifika men aged between 18-40 years to firstly, donate blood and secondly, give a bit more blood in order to become registered as a bone marrow donor.

Trekking for Teina: Uncle Taane and Aunty Wendy are part of Teina’s whānau and want to honour Teina’s memory by supporting Trust Teina. They are cycling from Bluff to Cape Reinga. Starting from Bluff at the beginning of December 2017 they are cycling through to Christchurch, getting the train over to Greymouth and going up the West Coast to Picton. After crossing over on the ferry, they will make their central trip north from Wellington to Auckland. They will head back to the west coast and cycle up to Hokianga, visiting Teina at his launching pad in Mitimiti, back over to Kerikeri and end up at Cape Reinga. They expect to be there by mid-January 2018.

They will be telling Teina’s story and promoting the aims and objectives of Trust Teina. We need to get more Maori and Pasifika men between the ages of 18-40 years to become registered donors. Donating blood is great, donating bone marrow is greater and donating organs is the greatest. New Zealand Blood Service is waiting for whanau to join the fight against cancer – give blood and save lives!

Trust Teina is humbled to set up this Give A Little page to support Teina’s Uncle and Aunty as they trek across Aotearoa on their bicycles in memory of their nephew.