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Stuart Edwards

I am going the distance to bring better cancer treatments to New Zealand. Please show your support.

Help me reach my goal of 1000 to build a healthier future for our loved ones

My Activity Tracking

20
kms

My target 280 kms

I'm going the distance this April to help bring life-changing CAR T-cell therapy home to New Zealand.

Right now, many Kiwis like me, with aggressive blood cancers have to travel thousands of kilometres overseas and pay enormous costs to access CAR T treatment. 

I’m taking on this challenge because no one should have to leave Aotearoa for life-changing cancer care. Every kilometre I complete and every dollar I raise will support the Malaghan Institute’s ENABLE-2 trial - a critical step toward making CAR T-cell therapy available in New Zealand’s public health system, close to home and whānau.

Please support my challenge if you can, or signup and challenge yourself! Together, we can help bring this treatment home.

Please Help Me
Reach My Goal

Raised

$507

My Goal

$1,000

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50% fundraising target met!

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My Updates

Inspired by others

Thursday 12th Mar
NZ is so far behind with available treatment option for blood cancer patients like me. Recently Lani and Tawhai Reti have suspended life, shifting to Australia to access treatments not funded in NZ, that have been standard for care around the world for 10+ years.

Lani's care and compassion during Tawhai's journey has been both inspiring and heartbreaking. Tawhai has been to rock bottom but seems to be on his way up again - amazing.

They have left their children at home on the West Coast of the South Island with an incredible Aunty, without knowing when they are going to come home.

Here is passage from a post Lani made on Facebook

"Tawhai and I alongside our tamariki lived in Australia from 2023-2024, we contributed to the Australian economy and when Tawhai relapsed assumed that coming home to our supports and whānau would be the best option not realizing how detrimental that decision would be to his care.
If we had known how behind NZ was in terms of funding and accessibility we would have stayed in Australia.
It was crucial to get to Australia, Tawhai was dying everyday right in front of our eyes, forced to be put onto palliative care with pain relief to keep him comfortable. This i just could not accept!
I didnt wait for referrals, I directly contacted the team here myself, and we were on a plane in 3 days after spending those days in hospital preparing him for the flight with blood transfusions and platelets. The risk was incredibly high, we were flying blind unsure of the outcome. Our doctors words " You need to be here this week, by next week it could be too late".
We also want to highlight the level of care we have recieved since arriving in Sydney, Judith Trotman, Janlyn Faulconer, Emma Verner and the rest of their incredible haemotology team have undoubtedly saved my husband's life.
All of the constant care and support from all of the nursing staff too has been paramount. This is next level care, and it makes us feel extremely sad for the 21,000 blood cancer patients in NZ who dont get to recieve this.
It also makes us feel empathy for the doctors in NZ like Blake Hsu and Amy Holmes who are only able to deliver sub standard care to their patients due to lack of funding. When we were in NZ that felt personal, and now being here and seeing it from a different perspective we understand, and we truly appreciate what our team were able to do back home regardless of the restrictions. Our hardest obstacle has been being separated from our children, missing milestones, not being present for assemblies, swimming sports, trainings and bedtime stories. Living life through a phone just isnt the same, and our children are suffering tremendously. We need urgent action in NZ families should not need to be split in order to survive!"

Thank you everyone for helping bring NZ into the light.

Thank you to my Sponsors

$263.75

Lesley

Go Stuart!

$54.12

Michelle

Kia ora Stu!

$54.12

Stuart Edwards

$54.12

Idil Kaplan

Go Stu! What a valuable cause

$27.81

Sarah Webster

Go Stu!

$27.81

Jo & The Hodsons

An important cause, best of luck with your challenge & fundraising.

$25

Walter

Good luck mate. Let’s hope people are still a little generous during these tough times.