Illness inspires business idea

Jayden Warren, right, with his parents Sharon and Grant Power inside his new business venture, a glow in the dark mini golf course. Photo / John Stone

A new glow-in-the-dark mini-golf course has been a labour of love for one Morningside family whose lives have been touched by cancer this year.

Jayden Warren, 24, will open Extreme MiniGlowlf World on 2 Reyburn St in Whangarei on Saturday afternoon, with a special fundraising sausage sizzle for his step-dad, Grant Power.

Grant was diagnosed with throat and lymph cancer in January and the family hope profits from the opening day's sausage sizzle can help him pay for his Vitamin C treatment in Auckland.

Jayden and Grant, as well as mum Sharon Power, have spent the past three months building the mini-golf course with extended family and friends.

A builder by trade, Grant jumped straight into the creative project and said the process was therapeutic.

"There were days that it was just so nice to focus on my work here. It was relaxing and really took my mind off the cancer."

Grant has opted not to have chemotherapy but his Vitamin C treatment costs about $1000 and sadly, having suffered three strokes three years ago, he is unable to work fulltime.

The family will hold regular fundraising sausage sizzles at the new business.

Mum Sharon, who home-schooled Jayden and sons Kaelyn, 14, and Bailey, 10, said the family could not have completed the project without the help of family and friends including members of the home-school community.

"Everyone just chipped in, helping with the art and just spending time with us, helping in whatever way they can."

The course looks a little like a mini-golf course blended with a ghost train and takes about an hour to complete.

The UV journey takes you through a gloworm cave, down the rabbit hole with Alice in Wonderland and even a meeting with a mad scientist.

"My favourite level has to be the aliens and UFOs," he said.

Earlier this week, Jayden had yet to complete the large pyramid in the ancient Egypt level, but it was no issue for the young man who spent four years loading logs while working as a stevedore at Northport. He lived on savings alone while building the mini-golf, mini empire and said he was looking forward to being his own boss.

"I had seen glow-in-the-dark mini-golf in Auckland and just had a dream to make this a reality at home.

"It's great to open this. There is very little for young people to do in Whangarei and hopefully, this course will give them somewhere to go."