12 Months Outs for Erlend Gray (Canada)

12 MONTHS OUT!

Any donation will go towards covering medical costs and treatment for Erlend. If Erlend's life cannot be saved during the treatment, the remaining money that is/will be collected will go towards ensuring financial security for the family and the children's future.

"Erlend, you only have 12 months left to live!"

As a 42-year-old father of young children, a family man and one who enjoys life, this is the world's worst message to receive from the doctor. Despite the heavy message, the special forces operator from MJK, positive mood spreader and polar explorer once again manage to turn a hopeless situation into something solvable.

Erlend is the definition of True Grit. Many of us have experienced Erlend's genuine care for those he loves. He has always been known to sacrifice his own time and energy to support those around him in difficult situations. Yet he never expects anything in return. Now it's our turn to help Erlend, he and his family deserve it. We can now ensure that he receives the vital treatment he is dependent on to continue his life. But the time is short.

English subtitles available on video:

All contributions will be of great help and can be donated anonymously if desired.

Here is Erlend’s story, his situation, and the solution to help him.

Erlend was born in Richmond, B.C. Canada. He lived his early years in Canada before moving to Norway with his mother and father. The family resided in West Vancouver, a destination Erlend would frequently visit to meet friends and for work. His work the last 10 years have bonded Erlend’s relationship between Norway and Canada. He has been fortunate in achieving some great industry and business opportunities between the 2 countries.

Erlend’s Canadian background has influenced his lifestyle today. British Columbia and Alberta have been places where Erlend has spent vast amount of time. Between 2004 and 2019 Erlend spent months almost every winter in Rossland BC. Rossland provided a lifestyle and an energy he seeks in life. He still remembers his first travel as a 5 year old to Rossland and traveling that summer in British Columbia Canada. 5 years old he walked out of Assiniboine Provincial Park with his father a cold early summer morning, a 23 km walk for a small boy enjoying nature and its wildlife.

Downhill skiing on Red Mountain, Nordic skiing, mountain biking, hiking, ice climbing and mountaineering became activities Erlend enjoyed for many years in the Kootenay regions.

With family in Victoria and friends throughout British Columbia including Vancouver, Invermere, Revelstoke and Vernon, these destinations provided a great base of opportunities for Erlend’s further achievements up to the present day.

Erlend has been a positive contributor in bringing Norway and Canada closer together through skiing and business providing lifelong experiences for his friends, colleagues and family.

Erlend's childhood was filled with an extremely high level of activity and imaginative inventions. Among other things, he played hockey on the local river where he grew up in Norway, and he was a very active kid within sports and outdoor activities. He was also among the first in Norway to participate in the first MMA fights.

Towards the end of his teenage years, Erlend gathered his energy in a sensible way. This led him into a long career in the Armed Forces, where his dedicated understanding of the use of military service dogs became his speciality. After completing the Norwegian special force MJK´s selection, bud´s and operator training, he took the initiative to build up the K9 program in the Norwegian special forces, which set a new standard for the Norwegian special forces. Due to his enormous commitment and drive in this service, Erlend is considered a pioneer and highly valued by his former colleagues.

In 2011, Erlend helped set a world record for skiing to the South Pole, another proof of his incredible endurance and willpower.

The expedition was described as the world's toughest race in "The Extreme World Races Centenary Race to the South Pole". This feat, which was carried out by "Team Framdrift", has been highly recognized within the international expedition environment.

After his time in the armed forces, he established his own company and today runs his own company which specializes in equipping the Armed Forces, the police and SAR units with top quality equipment - equipment that helps save lives. In this way, he contributes to a safer everyday life for those who are on the front line and who carry out demanding tasks on behalf of us all. Through this company, Erlend has created an extensive network all over the world which has contributed to close cooperation between defense and police units across different nations.

At the same time, Erlend settled in the mountain village of Hemsedal in Norway, having chosen the place with the help of a map of Norway and a dart arrow. Here he founded a wonderful family with his wonderful wife Bjørg and now two wonderful little children Viljar (3 years) and Alma (1 year). The little family is at the very beginning of a life together as a family.

After feeling "a bit tired" for a while, Erlend was unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 2023. This was naturally a shocking message to receive for the family who had established themselves and were in full swing with a new and wonderful era of life. Once again, he met the challenge with strength and courage. Treatment began quickly, but after an autumn and winter in and out of hospital it became clear in March 2024 that the cancer had spread.

Erlend has now been informed that the treatment that the Norwegian healthcare system can offer gives him approx. 1 year left to live, plus/minus. However, it is possible to fight the form of cancer that Erlend has contracted outside of Norway. There are several nations that have come a long way in this field, and the Norwegian cancer doctors have therefore recommended treatment in USA.

"12monthsout" is the result of Erlend quickly realizing that he had an immediate need for help, and a team gathered around him. He therefore established "12monthsout", which has created commitment both at national and international level. If Erlend gets the chance to recover, he and the team want to use this experience to help other people in the future.

Erlend has lived a life filled with passion for the outdoors, skiing, expeditions, diving, fly fishing, parachuting, hunting, dogs, mountain climbing and so much more. In all environments, Erlend is known for being an inspirer, driving force, natural gathering point and not least the positiv mood spreader where he offers and shares his stories with a touch of dry humor. The joy of being able to pass on his values, attitudes and not least to show his own children a world full of possibilities has always been a dream for Erlend. His dream stands stronger in front of him than ever before.

The solution:

Erlend has now organized a team consisting of highly competent doctors, health personnel and advisers to investigate treatment options. In consultation with Norwegian and American cancer doctors and researchers, as well as his team, Erlend has concluded that the treatment, which is currently only offered in a few hospitals in the USA, is the solution. There are examples here of people with the same form of cancer as Erlend having recovered after treatment. We therefore have great faith that the treatment will save Erlend. The American and Norwegian doctors are now working on setting up the course of treatment that is adapted to Erlend's medical condition. At this time, we have not been able to verify the treatment cost 100%, but the indications we have received from the doctors in the USA indicate expenses of approximately 1 million US dollars, which Erlend itself must be responsible for providing. The challenge is that the costs of this treatment are very high, and Erlend and his family are therefore faced with a financial burden that they alone cannot bear.

It is the economy that is the bottleneck for moving forward in this time-critical phase. However, if Erlend receives this treatment FAST, the outlook is GOOD!

Any donation will be deeply appreciated and will go directly to cover medical costs and treatment for Erlend. If it turns out that Erlend's life cannot be saved during the treatment, the remaining money that has been/will be collected will go towards ensuring financial security for the family and the children's future.

Greetings from Bjørg, Viljar, Alma and Erlend, the family and friends!