Hi Everyone,

Grace here (Martin’s partner). I'm writing on his behalf. Some of you know that Martin received a significant and rare cancer diagnosis a few days ago, after recent sickness sparked investigations.

This diagnosis has come as a shock and we are still processing this information as a family. The three of us will be heading to Melbourne within the next month where Martin will have Surgical and chemotherapy treatment at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

In the process of sharing this news we have already been asked by many of you how you can best support us at this difficult time and as we learn more about what will be involved in the journey ahead it has become clear that the most impactful support our community could provide is financial support.

To those who want to, and can, support us with funds to assist in all the costs associated with what is to come we have set up a GoFund me account.

We're unsure what the full journey ahead looks like, we're taking it day by day, week by week. But we also need to think ahead financially at least for the next 6 months (I can only hope for Martin, and us as a family, it's not too much longer than that). I will be in Melbourne as Martins main support and carer as well as primary parent while Martin focuses on his treatment and recovery.

We will be utilising Medicare funded assistance for travel and have been very privileged to receive support through a Not-For-Profit organisation "Fight for Cancer”, by providing accommodation for our little one and I, for however long that stay will be. We are very grateful for access to these supports however we know there will be many out of pocket expenses - the extent of what these will be are unknown and they are additional to maintaining our financial responsibilities at home.

Your support in this space will allow us breathing room to focus on getting Martin through his treatment and recovery.

Martin has been unwavering as our little ones Papa, and to myself in my first year postpartum, as indeed our first year as parents; all while recovering from a significant traumatic brain injury Martin sustained in a bike riding accident that landed him in Intensive Care for 8 months before our little one was born.

Those who are aware of this journey, know how things have slowed down with building at our property. My hope is to minimise the strain further, and to take the mental pressures off Martin, and myself so while we're away we can focus our attention where it needs to be.

Thankyou for your support,

We are welcoming of your supports in all forms, we do please ask to be patient if you do reach out with words of support, that we are very busy at the moment, and directing our energy to our family, we may be slow replying, however we are deeply grateful for all your supports.