Tauranga teen Ritchie Perry is carrying on his brave battle against melanoma in the face of two major recent knocks to his health.
The 19-year-old, whom Bay people have rallied around to help fund his treatment, is about to undergo radiation treatment in Hamilton after five small tumours were found in his brain.
The tumours were discovered after he suffered a seizure at a friend's house and woke up in hospital.
In a separate painful ordeal this month, Ritchie had a gallstone removed.
All the while, he has been carrying on his radical life-saving drug treatment in a trial that has seen him visit Melbourne's Peter Mac Cancer Centre 17 times for check-ups in the past year.
The eight tablets Ritchie takes each day are free but it costs about $2000 for the airfare and accommodation each time for his mother or father and himself. He has been told to be prepared to be on the trial drug for two years.
Ritchie was diagnosed with skin cancer in September 2009, after noticing a growth on a mole on his back. Tests revealed the melanoma had spread to his lungs, liver and lymph nodes.
The treatment has halted the melanoma to a point where it is no longer growing and can be managed, but extreme photosensitivity means he runs the risk of severe burns if he goes out in the sunlight for 10 to 15 minutes without sunblock and covering up.
"I get SPF 100 sunblock for it," he said. "The sun exposure is odd, I can feel it really heavily when the sun's on me."
He has also had to tint his car windows to protect himself while driving to Mackie Signs in Te Puke, where he is halfway through a signwriting apprenticeship.
His mother, Diane, said she was proud of him for staying positive: "His work is fantastic, too, you couldn't find any better people."
Ritchie said the experience had made him more aware of the dangers of sun exposure and he now encouraged his friends to cover up when outdoors.
"I always encourage people to put sunblock on. I force it on whoever's with me."
Ritchie's family is selling Christmas cards to raise funds. Packs of eight, including envelopes, can be ordered by emailing bowtiegraphix@hotmail.com.
Packs are $25 and postage is $4.50.
Teen's tough battle with cancer
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