Buying Time for the Gilbert Family

Hi,

Let me introduce you to Mike, Sam and Ace Gilbert. A proud independent family, that has been devastated by the most dehumanizing disease: Cancer.

First let me tell you about this amazing family, Mike, a Canadian, met his true soul mate in Dubai, Sam, a Kiwi, found her prince charming, and together they formed a life of dreams. Mike despite being a company man has always been an experience seeker, travelling, exploring, and enjoying, mostly with his best friends along for the Ride. Sam, herself an avid traveler and explorer started at Emirates, and worked her way up to be the Purser of an A380. They were a natural match made in Heaven, adventurer spirits, bound together in the chance that is life.

This is when I met Sam and Mike, a couple that exuded love and happiness. They have been the most inclusive and welcoming couple I know, always ready to help and pitch in when times are tough, and even more so generous when times are bountiful. They represent the greatest qualities of what it means to be Human and loving… Luckily some of that loving spilled over to produce Ace.

Ace is the most endearing boy I know. With a strength of character and will seldom found in the 5year old’s of the world, he would far rather be knee deep in mud, or running through the bushes than looking at an iPad. He has definitely inherited the Adventurer genes.

 

After some introspection, about what Mike was doing for his living, they decided as a family to take a chance and explore some of the world, and it was during this exploration, that they discovered Marlborough. Even though Sam is a Kiwi, looking at it with a slightly different perspective allowed them to develop the Idea of Beatnik Moto. A Company with adventure at its soul. What better place to take advantage of natural beauty, incorporating adventure and tourism, than New Zealand?! The Birth Place of adventure travel.

 

They took all their life savings and started Beatnik moto, buying bikes, equipment and starting a business to service a niche that hadn’t been tapped before. Like all Businesses it faced some growth pains, but through perseverance and sheer force of will, the company started to Fly… 2019 saw 300% growth, and 2020 was set to be the best year yet! Having completed filming on a World-Famous TV show, operating a bespoke event for Ducati, and having bookings from clients around the world, it was set to explode.

But.

In late Dec 2019 Mike went to the doctor with some minor digestive system symptoms and after weeks of appointments and tests and more tests he was diagnosed with incurable Stage 4 colo/rectal cancer that had metastasized to the surrounding bone in his hip, as well as his lymph nodes and his left lung. A Death sentence to a man in his prime, finally doing what he has yearned to his whole life, with his amazing wife, and dream son by his side.

Being Mike, he addressed the outcome, and worked out how to maximize the in-between part. His first decision was to fight back! No man with his determination would accept this as the final result. And so he began 8 rounds of Chemotherapy. 1 round being 2weeks of taking the crazy poison that is Chemo, with a 1week recovery week. After 3rounds a scan showed some improvements, and the prognosis was looking rosier.

That’s when COVID-19 struck.

Whilst C-19 had no direct affect on mikes treatment, NZ has been excellent in its prioritization of treatments, especially for those people, like Mike who need help now. It put a huge Handbrake on Beatnik. As C-19 slowly suffocates and strangles its victims, so a hand brake turned into a strangle hold, and then into a full strangulation of their business. But through this, despite losing weight and being sick from the chemo drugs cursing through his veins, Mike pushed on. Determined to make some lemon aid out these C-19 lemons.

After round 8, Mike did another scan. The Colo/rectal and Hip cancer had been checked in its growth, however the Cancer in his lymph nodes and lungs has started to grow. This is bad news, this meant the cancer had mutated and the current treatments weren’t going to stop it.

Mike and Sam knew starting the Chemo, that this was a possibility and that he had a 2nd line of attack ready to go, but they did not expect that it would have to be used within 6months of Chemo. Also they knew that the 2nd line, was the last line.

Mike was determined to be an Outlier, to prove medicine wrong through the force of his will, and positive energy he has always exuded. He put his full efforts into maximizing the time he has left with his Wife, his soul mate, and the love that they created; his beautiful son, Ace.



In order to continue the battle with the disease, Mike has to move onto EGFR, a new treatment, that will give him more of what he needs: more time. However, EGFR is not covered by his medical scheme nor by the NZ medical system (it is covered in other countries; but being sick already and thanks to C-19 immigration/repatriation is not an option). Its extremely expensive, requires upfront payment, every 2weeks, in another city, and must continue until the end. This treatment is due to begin in 3weeks (early September).

 

Mike and Sam are proud people, who have never asked for help, not even during the darkest moments of 2020, but here they are now… The family that always gives, asking for help. They have had to shutter their business, and give up on their dream, sickness and C-19 have become an insurmountable obstacle. But more importantly, it has wiped out all of their savings.

With Sam working to fund their family, and get them through the day to day cost of life, they are now at the point where they can just afford to live, but cannot afford the treatments required to give them more time as a family. Especially given Sam’s industry where people are being retrenched, salaries cut, and long term prospects are dim.

It’s a big ask to support to someone who you may not know, or who you may see as already heading towards the exit. But what would you give to have some more time with the two people in your life whom you would give anything for?

 

Their Target is AU$120,000. This will cover the cost of Mikes Treatment, of his family’s costs to live. And will give them more time together, an unquantifiable object.

 Thank for you generosity!

This Campaign is organised by Renee Born, a Trusted friend of Mike and Sam. I will be making sure every last cent and more goes directly to them