Nelson battler loses fight with lymphoma
Humbled by the support of loved ones while inspiring others with his fighting spirit, Craig Gray’s five-year battle with a rare blood cancer has come to an end.
A service was held for the 47-year-old at Gardens of the World at Hope on Sunday, with friends and family celebrating the life of the Stoke father of two, who died last week.
Having defied his initial terminal prognosis with a smile and a positive outlook, Gray died peacefully at Nelson Tasman Hospice last Tuesday evening.
Longtime friend Paul Hampton had taken part in the Dancing for a Cause fundraiser for the hospice in 2018. Hampton said that despite his ill health, Gray’s upbeat attitude – a trademark of his personality – had eased the process of saying goodbye.
The hospice environment and care had ‘‘given Craig a lot of peace’’ as family and friends rallied around him, Hampton said.
‘‘Even when there was talk that things weren’t so good, he kept on going. He was more worried about everyone else, and mindful of what others were experiencing, but there was always humour – that made it a little easier, and helped people to sit and laugh with him.
‘‘He couldn’t have handled his situation with any more dignity than what he did – he never complained, but took the time to appreciate things and, not so much accepted it, but took it in his stride and made the most of what he was given, which was really amazing to watch.
‘‘He was a wonderful guy – I really miss him.’’
After being initially diagnosed with Mantel cell lymphoma in 2015, Gray was declared cancerfree in 2017 but relapsed in July 2018.
In April last year, he was given just two weeks to live.
Having exhausted all chemotherapy and stem cell treatment options, a ray of hope came when Gray’s haematologist pointed him in the direction of Ibrutinib, a targeted therapy drug he sourced from Bangladesh due to it not being funded by Pharmac in New Zealand.
However, with the drug costing $300 a week, and Gray being unable to work, staying alive became a financial strain.
‘‘When you don’t fall under that majority umbrella of having something [Pharmac] can fix a lot of people with, it’s unfunded – which is understandable – but when you find yourself in that situation, it’s hard when you think, ‘I can get a generic form of it for $300 a week, why can’t they?’,’’ Gray told Stuff in November.
Keen to help his friend of 20 years, Bevan Muollo put his boat up for raffle as a way of helping Gray meet his medication costs. The gesture attracted national TV, radio and online coverage,
‘‘He couldn’t have handled his situation with any more dignity ...He was a wonderful guy.’’ Paul Hampton, friend
raising awareness of Gray’s situation.
Within two weeks, the raffle had given way to $25,128 in donations that poured in from around New Zealand. A separate Givealittle page set up by Gray yielded $21,000.
Muollo said the fundraising efforts had enabled Gray to enjoy what became his final weeks with loved ones.
‘‘It changed the thought process about where the next lot of money was going to come from. He could sit back and enjoy things, knowing that it would be OK from that perspective.’’
Muollo was with Gray in his final moments. Jokes were shared, final words were spoken – but most importantly, Gray was able to prepare for his fate on his own terms, he said.
‘‘He had fought long enough and hard enough, and he had no regrets – he loved his life.
‘‘He was ready to go. It was just the people around him that weren’t ready for it to happen.’’