Hugo’s Fight for Life: Please Help This Brave 11-Year-Old Reach the U.S. for Treatment

Every year, our family takes on a fitness challenge to raise money for good causes — it’s something we’ve come to love. It keeps us active, gives us purpose, and lets us teach our boys what it means to do something for others.

This time, we’re raising them for a very special little boy in New Zealand — Hugo, who is in desperate need of help. He’s a bright, funny, brave 11-year-old who deserves any chance he can get!

Our family — Greg, myself (Gen), and our boys Leo (5) & Raiden (1½) are taking on a series of challenges to raise money and hope for Hugo.

Greg and I run a trail half-marathon in November and an additional challenge in December each too

Leo has proudly chosen to complete a 6 km duathlon

Raiden will attempt a lap of our park on his scooter (his favourite thing to do)

Hugo, was diagnosed at age 9 with Stage 4 Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma — a rare, aggressive childhood cancer. After 9 rounds of chemo and 28 radiation sessions, he was declared clear in Aug 2024, but relapsed in Mar 2025.

Now wheelchair-bound and in severe pain, options in NZ are running out. Hugo has been accepted into a CAR T-cell therapy trial in the U.S., offering new hope. The treatment is free, but travel and living costs total $500,000 NZD.

Sam and Aaron are 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.