John Taylor
John Taylor is a 16-year-old year old from Warkworth whose year has got off to a really rough start. On January 14th he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of melanoma and since then has had surgery to remove a large area of the surrounding skin and underlying tissue from his lower leg, as well as two nearby lymph nodes. Unfortunately, the results have shown that cancer cells were already present in the lymph nodes and now he needs to undergo further testing and treatment.
So far the family has already borrowed around $17,250 for surgery and testing as these were needed more urgently than the public health system could provide. They have already been told that John is likely to require further testing and treatment in the very near future and that not all of it will be funded through the public system.
Any funds raised will go towards paying for these tests and/or treatment as well as to support the whanau during the coming months ahead.
John will be under the care of Starship and the family have been advised by the paediatric oncologist that John's type of melanoma is so rare (they barely see any of these in NZ in adults let alone kids/teenagers) and aggressive, they've decided to send his info to 'St Jude's - children's research hospital' in the states to get their advice. This process should take 2-3 weeks but...might take longer if they ask for the original tissue to be sent to them so they can have a look at it themselves. Starship will be back in touch once they've heard from them and then there will be a meeting to discuss the treatment plan from there.
You are invited to offer support to John and his family via a Give-a-little page set up in his name. It would be greatly appreciated.
Neighbourhood Challenge: Who Can Crack This One? ⛓️💥❔
What has a head but no brain?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
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Poll: Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝
In The Post’s opinion piece on the developments set to open across Aotearoa in 2026, John Coop suggests that, as a nation, we’re “allergic to exuberance.”
We want to know: Are we really allergic to showing our excitement?
Is it time to lean into a more optimistic view of the place we call home? As big projects take shape and new opportunities emerge, perhaps it’s worth asking whether a little more confidence (and enthusiasm!) could do us some good.
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40.8% Yes
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34% Maybe?
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25.1% No
Suellen's Sweet Christmas Tradition
The festive season is the perfect excuse to indulge your sweet tooth and to bring something truly special to the Christmas table. For Suellen’s family, that showstopper is Croquembouche !
An impressive tower of cream puffs bound together with delicate spun sugar, this classic dessert is a favourite at weddings across France and Italy and a much-loved Christmas tradition at home.
Click read more for the full recipe.
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