When Satan’s Little Helper (SLH) heard Connor Buckley’s story, he wanted to give the computer gaming fan an unforgettable experience. HELL organised VIP tickets for Connor, his sister Natasha and two friends to get their geek on at the Wellington leg of the Armageddon expo – New Zealand’s largest entertainment and pop culture showcase.
Four years ago, Connor was diagnosed with a tumour on his pituitary gland. This gland, which sits at the base of the brain, plays an important role in controlling the release of growth hormones around the body. It led to Connor contracting gigantism and a rare disease called acromegaly that can cause severe disfigurement. During two operations, doctors were able to successfully remove the tumour. Unfortunately, the 17-year-old recently found out that he had a cancerous tumour on his spine and is currently undergoing aggressive chemotherapy treatment for Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. His sister, and SLH nominator, Natasha says that because of the diagnosis, Connor had to put studying electrical engineering at Whitireia Polytechnic on hold. “He was really looking forward to it, because he missed out on a lot of school,” she says. “He has to be admitted to hospital for three to five days every fortnight, which is very boring for him and makes having a normal social life really hard. “Even when he is home, a nurse has to visit every second day to do blood tests. He also has to inject himself in the stomach to boost his white blood cell count.” A gaming and anime fan, SLH thought a VIP experience at Armageddon would be a good chance for Connor and his mates to hang out. Natasha said they all had a blast. “His favourite part of the weekend was checking out people’s costumes and all the effort they put in to them. The visual reality demonstration and being able to check out the stands with his favourite TV shows and games were also highlights,” she says. “He’s really grateful that HELL gave him the opportunity to hang out with mates and it’s an experience he won’t ever forget!” Connor’s friends started a givealittle donation page to help cover the costs of his treatment. You can visit the page at https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help4connor.
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