Jon & Stella need to get their business back on track

Hello,

Lucie Verhelst, Wendy Bailye and Mel Kilby here.

We have started this page to support a wonderful couple in the Samford community who are doing it very tough at the moment and need a little help from their friends. It is so hard to ask for help and sometimes you need friends to do that for you!

We know Jon Linkins and Stella Danalis through our local art group. Many of you know them as the beautiful couple behind their high-quality art-photography-print business called Printroom Editions in Samford. Jon and Stella are the kindest and most helpful professionals.

They are well known amongst artists in the greater Brisbane area and further afield, for their excellent service, skills and personal approach. We are so lucky that they live only a stone’s throw away! They are a generous and community minded couple, always going the extra mile for their customers and people within our community.

After numerous tests earlier this year, and with very short notice, Jon recently went to the RBWH for surgery to remove cancerous tumours in this tongue and both lymph nodes in his neck. Surgery included a excision of his tongue, a graft from his right wrist to his tongue and a tracheostomy to permit dissection of his neck. The couple were forced to drop everything in their home and business for what became a challenging time in hospital. After a successful 8 hours of surgery on 7 February, things went awry the next evening when the tracheostomy wound started bleeding into Jon’s lungs. Struggling to breathe, Jon thought it was the end, and a dozen staff watched over him while they waited for his surgeon to arrive to perform emergency surgery. The next day Jon was weak but after a blood transfusion he recommenced his healing journey.

The new section of tongue that was created from grafting flesh, vein and artery from his right arm had taken well with good blood flow! Hooray for modern medicine and the skilled staff at the RBWH! Over the 10 sleep deprived days in hospital, one by one, the tubes, tracheostomy, cannulas and arm cast were removed, and Jon was able to move around and speak! Now home, Jon continues the healing process, learning to speak and eat again. The main setback now is that Jon is weak in both arms, his dominant arm from the graft, and his left arm has limited movement from expected nerve damage from the neck surgery.

So while they now wait for the pathology to hopefully come back in their favour, and to not have the need for radiation therapy or chemotherapy, the reality of having to keep their heads above water financially, and of not being able to get on top of and maintain their 2 acre property is setting in. Jon and Stella would never feel comfortable asking for a handout and so we’re doing this on their behalf.

Jon’s illness started 40 years ago when he contracted a rare disorder called goodpasture’s syndrome. His family were sent in to say their goodbyes, but Jon fought, and to the doctors’ surprise, he pulled through. The disease damaged his kidneys and lungs, and over the next 15 years he fought bouts of pneumonia and his kidneys eventually failed. After a short time on dialysis, his brother donated a kidney and Jon received the transplant in 1998. Unfortunately, the medications that Jon has had to take to maintain the transplant over the last 26 years have had serious and adverse side effects. The immune suppressing drugs have caused well over 100 skin cancers on his body over the years. And 4 years ago, cancers started appearing inside his mouth, requiring biopsies and 2 previous tongue surgeries, and now this year in his neck. We’re not sure we’d be as lovely a person as Jon after 40 years of health challenges.

Jon is a gentle and humble man who bravely combats these setbacks with great support from Stella. And like most people who know them, we’re blown away with their ability to take a beating and not give up. But we would love it if you can support Jon and Stella and show them that we stand behind them with their difficulties, as a community.

It has been an exhausting and all-consuming time for Jon and Stella. Being self-employed is so challenging at the best of times and it is very difficult to run a business when you have ongoing health concerns, hospitalisations, and medical appointments. This combination wreaks havoc with a small business! There are many appointments for them to go to in the coming months and all this affects the ability to earn a living and to maintain a property as well. We know many of Jon and Stella’s friends and customers are wondering how they can help at this difficult time... this is how.

It would be so good if we can make their weight a bit lighter by helping them with some living expenses so that they can get back on their feet and get some help to clean up their property. These funds will take the stress and pressure off them a little, so that Jon can heal well and get back to what he loves doing with Stella by his side. With a little support from each of us we can make life easier. Funds raised will go directly to Jon and Stella.

A donation of any size would be so very, very appreciated.

If you are unable to support Jon and Stella through this fundraiser, but are a creative and have a need for art capture or fine art printing you can help by supporting their business, Printroom Editions, which is open for business. They have noticed that some of their clients have abandoned them at the times of the 2 previous surgeries, for whatever reason, and it’s saddened them. See the link to their website: Printroom Editions

Thank you so much for your support,

Mel Kilby, Lucie Verhelst and Wendy Bailye

xxx