In just a few short months our lives have been turned upside down. Back in June John underwent multiple tests and scans to see why his health was quickly deteriorating. Within three weeks we travelled four hours from home so he could undergo Triple Bypass Heart Surgery. The day before his surgery, we also found out he had Kidney cancer. As you can imagine, the emotional and financial toll of not only one, but two major surgeries can be very overwhelming.

Having kidney cancer made Johns Triple Bypass more complicated than usual. He spent 6 days in intensive care, with a total of 13 days in hospital before he could journey home. During this time I stayed on my own in a hotel nearby so I could spend my days and evenings by his side. I must admit, it was a lot harder than I ever imagined it would be.

Since then we've travelled to and from Mackay (4 hour round trip) and Townsville (seven hour round trip) for procedures and appointments with his cardiologist, the heart surgeon, as well as his kidney surgeon.

A few weeks back his Urologist told us it would be dangerous to remove his cancerous kidney so close to the heart surgery considering his age. It was recommended that he concentrate on recovering from Triple Bypass and build his strength back up over the next couple of months. In November he'll undergo radiology imaging ahead of his next appointment with the surgeon ten days later. His Kidney surgery will then be within a week or two after that appointment.

Why We Are Asking For Help:

It is a hard thing to ask for help. However, as we move into the next stage of treatment, it has become clear that we cannot do this alone. While insurance has covered the majority of medical costs, there are still significant out of pocket expenses when it comes to heart and cancer surgeries. Our out of pocket costs for the heart surgery plus other expenses alone was over $20,000. We anticipate the same for Johns kidney surgery after receiving an approximate cost from his Urologist this past week. His surgery is to be paid upfront after our next visit early November.

Even though John is 78 years old, he has never received a pension, as he has continued to work alongside myself as a photographer. He also doesn't hold a health care card, so all medications, X-rays and scans are paid for at full cost. As his sole provider and carer, I’ve done my best to carry this journey on my own, balancing the financial weight of surgery, travel, hospital visits, prescriptions, and other accumulated debt alongside the emotional and physical work of helping John heal. All while continuing to work.

This past week I considered selling my photography gear to help cover costs, however as John said, I will need my trade equipment more than ever going into 2026 to help support us both. It was then I decided to ask for help.

Your contributions will help cover:

We are deeply grateful for the love and encouragement of our family and friends so far through this process. As photographers, our lives have always been dedicated to creating and giving back through storytelling, and education.

Any amount, big or small, will be deeply appreciated and will make a real difference in helping us get through this incredibly difficult time.

Thank you for being part of our journey. Your support means more than we can ever express.

Tanya & John Xx