Nat's Big Fight

UPDATE: We have a new goal!!! You guys have been amazing and Nat is amazing so we are aiming higher to give her what she needs over the coming months!

If we can get to $5000 Jason McDonald will be having his legs waxed at the end of September. (I hear these resemble forests!!!)

If we can get to $7500 Luke Watson and his bride to be Megan (getting married 4th October!) will be shaving - Megan her hair and Luke his hair and beloved beard to a close shave and ON THEIR WEDDING NIGHT!!

If we can get to $10,000 then Nat's mum Jeanette will be joining Jane and I getting our heads shaved in the next few weeks (sorry it's going to take a bit of time - apparently people want to watch this being done so in process of organising a venue!!).

Nat is 26 years old. She is a mum to beautiful wee Isobel, a partner, a daughter, a friend and so many more things to so many people. After years of pushing for answers, Nat was diagnosed with bowel cancer one week after her 26th birthday.

Having had her entire large bowel removed in the hope of removing the cancer, Nat recently found out that she has what is classed as Stage 4 cancer - four growths on her liver. The only way to treat this is with chemo, a liver resection and further chemo. It is hoped that this will end her fight against cancer so that she can get on with living life to the fullest and enjoying watching her daughter grow up! Pete has been her rock through the entire ordeal and is working full time and running their house while Nat goes through treatment. This fundraiser is to allow them time together when Nat has rough days, pay for the extra trips to hospital, and anything else they need over the coming months. Hopefully it will stretch to giving them some lovely opportunities to spend time together on Nat's better days.

Nat is one of my best friends. Our partners have been friends since they were kids and we were lucky enough to find ourselves friends. She is a kind, loving, generous soul with the wickedest sense of humour. Nat loves the small things in life - time with family, cuddles with her daughter, a good movie night with Pete. She appreciates others and now it is her turn to know just how much others appreciate her. Nat we love you so much and we know you will get through this with humour, grace and dignity.

While Nat won't be losing her hair thanks to the specific type of chemo she is undertaking, she has a lot of other side effects to be dealing with. Her treatment is currently on hold while they manage the effects of severe nausea and a new combination of chemo is started. However as an incentive for you all, a few of us have decided to shave for the cause in acknowledgement of her fight, and the fight of so many others, against cancer.

At $500 Pete's best friend Reuben Toa will be close shaving his head and keeping it that way for the entire length of Nat's treatment.

At $3000 Pete's sister and Nat's fabulous friend Jane Payne and I will both be shaving our heads.

Please help us raise money to help this beautiful family through such a horrendous time. You can follow Nat's story here: http://natsbigfight.tumblr.com/

Her sister Sophie is a photographer and is photographing Nat's journey as well. Check out her beautiful, eye-opening photos here: http://sophiereynoldsphotography.tumblr.com/

If there are other ways you would like to help Nat, Pete and Isobel you can contact me (Harriet) on 027 469 7295 or harriet.toa@gmail.com

Please share this page and spread the word not only about this fundraiser but about bowel cancer. It is a truly underacknowledged disease that does not get talked about enough!