The Tapanui community in West Otago has raised more than $170,000 for the Child Cancer Foundation, inspired by local residents Peter and Sarah Davies and their late son Jock, according to Seven Sharp. The fundraising effort involves the community of fewer than 1,000 people and brings fresh attention to a cause that supported the Davies family through a decade of medical challenges.
Jock Davies’ Leukaemia Battle and Recovery
The family’s connection to the Child Cancer Foundation began in 2013 after Jock, then nine years old, became unwell. According to Peter Davies, his son had been feeling “pretty crook and no energy, which wasn’t like him.” A blood test prompted a transfer to Invercargill before Jock was flown to Christchurch for specialized treatment. He spent months receiving care in Christchurch and remained on medication for roughly two years. “It was a long road,” Peter recalled to Seven Sharp. Throughout the treatment, the family received assistance from the Child Cancer Foundation while the local Tapanui community rallied around them. Jock eventually overcame leukaemia, later studying in Dunedin where he pursued his passion for sport and the outdoors and planned to become a teacher.
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Tragic Loss on Stewart Island and Community Support
In July of last year, Jock’s life ended when he was fatally shot while hunting on Stewart Island. Reflecting on the difficult year since his death, Peter stated they had been surrounded by support. “We’ve been really lucky though. Lots of great friends, family, community once again around here. Yeah. Good people around us,” he said to Seven Sharp. Sarah Davies described Jock as someone who “loved life and people,” noting he was “a little bit unique and a little bit naughty.” “He wouldn’t want us to be wallowing,” she added.
Wider Tapanui Community and Blue Mountain College Rally for Wig Wednesday
This year’s fundraising carries deep personal meaning for the family, with Sarah noting that the Child Cancer Foundation has been a big part of their lives since the diagnosis. The broader Tapanui community—home to fewer than 1,000 people—also continued to rally behind the campaign. Students and staff at Blue Mountain College, where Peter and Sarah worked as longtime teachers and where Jock and his older brothers George and Tom went to school, participated in Wig Wednesday by donning wigs and shaving their heads. “They’ve been a great support of us as a family for a long time and just get in behind the day,” Peter said. Sarah added that the widespread local participation felt “very humbling.” The Davies family are encouraging the public to redirect everyday expenses toward the charity, with Peter suggesting, “Instead of having that coffee today or tomorrow, donate that money to the Child Cancer Foundation.”
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