Our son Finley Pennisi has spent the past five years fighting a battle no young person should ever have to face. At just 22, he has shown a level of strength, courage, and grace that continues to inspire everyone around him. But despite everything he’s endured—surgery, radiation, countless hospital admissions, loss of movement, and the daily challenges of living with a rare and aggressive brain tumour— Finley continues to fight for his life with a quiet determination that humbles us as parents.

We now stand at a critical moment in his journey. Finn urgently needs access to a combination of targeted inhibitors that offer real hope of stabilising his disease. These treatments are not covered under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) due to strict eligibility rules, even though his clinical team believes he may respond. The cost of this life-saving therapy, ongoing medications and rehabilitation exceed what we can manage alone. Finn has been in hospital since May of this year.

Finn is a quiet achiever. Intelligent, kind, with a dry sense of humour. In the last 7 months, he has endured a lot, he is critically ill but still fighting, with the most inspiring resilience and determination to live. We are fighting hard with him. We won’t give up. He won’t give up. And now, we’re reaching out to our community to help us give him the best possible chance.

Finn attended St. Kevin’s College and had just finished Year 11 when first diagnosed. Despite this devastating diagnosis, he worked extremely hard to complete Year 12. Finn was to complete his undergraduate degree at Monash University this year. He loves what he studied and had plans to study a Juris Doctor upon completion.

Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us closer to providing Finley with the treatment window he desperately and urgently needs.

From the depths of our hearts, thank you for standing with Finley.