Cancer victim’s last good deed
A Manawatu¯ father who was so loved by his community that it raised $60,000 to fund his cancer treatment has paid their kindness forward with one last good deed.
Elvis Rukuwai, 44, died at Palmerston North’s Arohanui Hospice after a short battle with cancer in April.
In an intimate gathering, the father-of-five’s family last week bequeathed the remaining $3620 of the funds raised for him to the organisation that comforted him as he drew his last breath.
Rukuwai was a prominent man in the Feilding community, having played rugby league and union in the region for 20 years.
He had hoped a new cancer treatment would give him more time with his young children. The treatment, 10 rounds of advanced chemotherapy at $6000 each, was not Government-funded.
Hundreds of friends and family turned up at Johnston Park, Feilding, on February 24 to play rugby, touch and league in his honour, and raised about $20,000 of the $60,000 he needed.
Rukuwai’s Givealittle page reached $40,000 less than four weeks after being set up.
He completed three treatments before he died.
Rukuwai’s wife, Keri-michele Rukuwai, said the road without him had been a winding one. But she took solace knowing she and her children’s lives were better for having had him with them, albeit for a shorter period than they would have hoped.
‘‘Three months – it’s still in that really raw stage.’’
Keri-michele returned to work as a teacher aide at Feilding’s St Joseph’s School last week.
‘‘I didn’t know if I could, but I had to see. Everyone has been so lovely there.’’
Keri-michele said the family initially thought Elvis had beat his bowel cancer after an elaborate surgery and months of chemotherapy following his diagnosis last year.
Then came the crushing news
that it was terminal. ‘‘We all thought at the end of last year he was tracking along great.
‘‘We never thought in February we would be told it was terminal.’’
Keri-michele said every day she missed the humorous and cheeky man she fell in love with at a Feilding pub, 21 years ago.
Rukuwai’s rugby mates have started an annual golf day in his name, with the proceeds to go to someone battling a terminal or life-threatening illness.
Arohanui Hospice iwi adviser Dennis Emery said the hospice welcomed all donations.
The charity received 60 per cent of its funding from Midcentral District Health Board, leaving $2.3 million to be funded externally, Emery said.