Into the Storm

In 2025, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma. Hearing the words "you have cancer" is something I never thought I'd hear at 28 years old.

At the same time, my wife and I were getting ready to welcome our first baby. We thought we'd be looking back on late-night feeds, nappy changes, and all the excitement that comes with becoming parents - not biopsies, PET scans, and chemotherapy.

On August 7, I had my first chemo treatment. On August 16, our son Brooks was born. Then just five days later, on August 21, I was back in hospital for another round of chemo. It was an emotional rollercoaster trying to take in the greatest moment of my life while also fighting cancer.

Thankfully, after three rounds of AAVD chemotherapy, I went into remission.

Without a doubt, this was the hardest season my family has ever been through. But I've come to describe it as the worst thing I never knew I needed. As strange as that sounds, cancer completely changed my perspective on life. It gave me a level of gratitude that I don't think I would have found otherwise.

Every day I wake up, I'm grateful to be healthy, pain-free, and in remission. I'm grateful for my amazing wife, my healthy son, and for the chance to watch them grow up and grow old alongside them.

I'm raising funds for Blood Cancer New Zealand because I want to help people like me who never expected to hear those words. The support and care I received throughout my treatment made a huge difference, and I want others facing blood cancer to have access to that same support when they need it most.

If sharing my story and raising some money can help another family get through what we went through, then it's worth it. I also want to play my part in helping fund research and move us closer to a cure for these cancers.