We've got your back, Peter.

I’ve got a friend, Peter Gould. We grew up together in Clarenville, Newfoundland. I was the best man at his wedding and he was the best man at mine. We both live in St. John’s now. You might know him, as he has a pretty big network of friends, but even if you don’t, anyone who knows him will tell you he’s a great guy. He’s always been there for me, whether it’s to help me set up a stereo or to take me to the hospital when I didn’t have anyone else to call, and I know I’m not the only one who has used Peter’s shoulder to lean on. He’s been an incredible friend to a lot of people.

Now it’s time for us to be there for him.

On February 27, 2018, while sitting down to supper with his wife, Erika, and baby son, Henry, Peter experienced a severe seizure and was rushed to the hospital. Having no prior history of seizures or any other serious medical issues up to that point, this was quite a shock to Peter, his family and the doctors who treated him. After undergoing an MRI, it was found that Peter had a mass on his brain that would have to be surgically removed in a high-risk operation. Although Peter came out of the operation with no long-term damage, the biopsy results showed that he had a Grade 3 Anaplastic Astrocytoma, a serious brain tumour. In short, Peter found out he has brain cancer and will have to undergo radiation and chemotherapy. 

Although Peter has a full-time job, he hasn’t been able to work since this incident. He will have to undergo treatments for at least six months and will likely be unable to return to work for even longer. To make matters worse, Erika has been on maternity leave for the last year to care for Henry and is now unsure of when she will be able to return to work. We all hope Peter will make a full recovery, but he has a long, difficult road ahead of him.

Peter recently started a blog about his health struggles and how they have impacted his life. The blog provides detailed information on Peter’s diagnosis and treatment, but it also sheds light on how a sudden shift in health status can impact one’s daily life, outlook and self-perception. Peter has always been creative, intelligent and insightful and these qualities show through in his writing. I would recommend anyone who knows him or is interested in his journey to read his blog at https://petersmindtrip.blog/ .

Peter didn’t ask us to set this up, and he never would, but I did make sure to get his permission. He and his family can use the help. We set the goal at $5000. We had some uncertainty about what amount to aim for, but we thought this was a good place to start. Every dollar helps. Every share or mention of this campaign helps. 

Let’s help our friend.