Support Relle and Gerg with his Stage 4 cancer diagnosis

Hi, my name is Morag and I want you to know about my beautiful friends Banners (Narelle/Relle) and Gerg (Greg).

Relle has been one of my closest friends for over 30 years. We have shared many adventures, and laughed and cried our way through life’s ups and downs. When she introduced me one fine day 20 years ago to a long-legged, baby-faced, bird-watching Adelaidean called Gerg, I knew this one was special. I am so grateful to Relle for the gift of Gerg into my life – for this funny, quirky, generous, thoughtful, super-smart, gentle giant, who has now become a loving uncle figure to my child Ines.

Being friends with someone as fun, smart, playful and caring as Relle has been a wonderful, life-changing blessing. But being friends with both Relle and Gerg was like hitting the friendship jackpot! Together they are a powerhouse of kindness, compassion and love. For Relle and Gerg, offering help to others is as effortless as breathing - a warm bed to sleep in in their home, a nourishing meal, a listening ear, a snuggly hug. Maybe you are lucky enough to know them too and have also been touched by this radiant generosity.

But now we find ourselves in a situation where these two humans need our help.

Gerg has cancer, and it is a nasty one – Stage 4 Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer): https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/bile-duct-cancer/stages-grades/distal.

Facing cancer is an emotional and physical challenge of epic proportions, but as Relle and Gerg have quickly realised, also a financial one.

Along with the shock of the diagnosis, Gerg and Relle have been hit by a perfect financial storm. Having navigated the tribulations of running a hospitality business during COVID; and investing their life savings into a new commercial kitchen and shopfront, they are now facing significant escalating expenses. When they discovered that Gerg’s insurance payout was going to run out in a few short months, the reality of their situation hit hard. They realized it was time to reach out for assistance from the community.

This unexpected diagnosis has turned their world upside down. But in typical Relle and Gerg form, they are approaching this with openness, resourcefulness, humour, and hope. They are strong and determined, but financial support from us would be a game-changer. It would mean they can:

- Reduce stress

- Work less and spend more time together

- Take short respite trips away together

- Fund important health/medical expenses

And most importantly,

-Access life-saving clinical trials/treatments, possibly overseas

Gerg has recently undergone six grueling months of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. This did not have the desired results, so clinical trials and non-conventional treatments are the next pathway.

So we can make a tangible difference to their lives right now- helping to ensure that Gerg receives the best care and prognosis possible. For Relle and Gerg, this is about quality of life.

Any amount you can contribute is hugely appreciated. And if a monetary donation is not possible at this time, a share with your family and friends would mean a lot.

Thankyou for your kindness, generosity, and support.

A MESSAGE FROM RELLE

Hello lovely friends and family :)

This is a difficult post to write... Initially, sharing this news felt overwhelming, but we are starting to get used to it.

Earlier this year, Gerg and I were enjoying a long bike ride along the coast while visiting family in Adelaide. Life felt relatively calm, and we were contemplating how to work less—a tricky endeavour when you run your own business! Just a few days later, everything changed. We found ourselves in a state of absolute shock in a hospital ward, trying to digest some terrifying information: Gerg needed urgent life-saving surgery and potentially had a rare form of cancer that may have already spread. Six weeks and three hospitals later, the worst-case scenario was confirmed—Gerg was diagnosed with Stage 4 Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer, distal form) which had already spread to his lungs.

This news threw our lives into an absolute spin.

After Gerg recovered from surgery, he started a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy (eight rounds, 16 sessions). So far, the treatment has significantly reduced his symptoms and is helping. The regime is set to finish in December, opening up pathways to targeted drug treatments and clinical trials. Thankfully, we have connected with networks of patients around the world who are on similar journeys and have learned about innovative treatments with positive results, though they come at a cost.

I continued with the impossible task of caring for Gerg while also running our catering business and shop front—without Gerg as our chef. We had to cancel about a third of our catering bookings because we simply couldn’t manage, and we had to pay staff to cover for both Gerg and myself. As a result, his income stopped completely and mine dropped to a small amount. On top of this I discovered that Gerg’s life insurance policy would only cover a few short months of living and medical expenses! I gasped.

Amidst all the chaos, we had another major priority: finding time between chemo cycles to fly to Adelaide and share precious moments with Gerg’s sister, who was living with late-stage cancer. We felt fortunate to have seen her and the family regularly over the last few months, and sadly, we just returned from her funeral a few days ago.

I’m very sorry that some of you will be learning this news for the first time via FB. We had to ‘keep things small’ to get by, and only now are ready to share more widely.

One silver lining is that Gerg’s wish to work less has certainly been granted! We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have an amazing support network and we are deeply grateful for the family and friends who have stepped up to support us in so many ways—whether it’s by shouting meals, working in our shop, helping with gardening, offering holiday house accommodation, or simply being there for us. Our staff have also been exceptional, going above and beyond to keep things running smoothly.

Despite everything going on, we remain calm, quite happy, and grateful for the simple joys in life. Greg has been an amazing patient and I have learned so much from him!

If you’d like to drop off a meal (most people are too scared to cook for a chef!), help us with our out-of-control garden, or send something funny to watch/read—or even an old-school card—we would love that.

One little request though is to please be normal around us. It is hard to respond to sad faces when we are having a good day. Warm smiles are the best :)

Our dear friend Morag has generously set up a GoFundMe campaign to help us. Any amount, big or small, makes a difference, and if you can, please share. https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-support-relle-and-gerg

Lots of love and virtual hugs,

Relle (Narelle, Banners, Naz..)