When Matt Child was diagnosed with stage three bladder cancer in 2011 he joked with his wife Claire that he’d “taken the hit for the family and no one else was allowed to get cancer”.

But this year the young Auckland family were hit again when Claire was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

“Not in a million years did we think we’d be doing the same thing with Claire, especially so soon - maybe when we were older but we’re both relatively young,” Matt told the Herald.

After his diagnosis, Matt underwent chemotherapy and three major operations - during which his bladder and a portion of his bowel were removed.

He still experiences complications as a result of the procedure.

In late 2022 Claire - who works as a nurse at Auckland City Hospital - went to the doctor with abdominal pain and scan revealed a cyst on her right ovary.

Claire was referred to a gynaecologist and after the cyst was removed test results showed it was a tumour.

She underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy in January 2023 but further testing showed she had ovarian cancer.

Matt said that because the hysterectomy was a “significant operation” his wife had used up all of her sick leave.

She has recently started six cycles of chemotherapy which will means she will be off work for around eight months.

Friends have now rallied to help the couple and their children - aged nine and 11 - including setting up a Givealittle fundraising page.

Chris Goldsmith, who has known Matt for 15 years, said the coming months “are going to be extremely challenging.

“Matt and Claire will be down to one income and face a significant mortgage increase in mid-April,” he said.

“They need our help.”

The Givealittle page was set up on Thursday and so far more than $10,500 has been donated.

Goldsmith said the money would be used for the family’s cost of living.

“Primarily mortgage payments, petrol, general medical expenses, food, house upkeep with someone cleaning and mowing the lawns,” he said.

“Anything additional will go towards a family holiday.”

Matt said the response to the fundraiser had “blown us away”.

“We’re really private people, so all of this attention, it’s a lot,” he said.

“But, we have got really good support - family and friends any work, it’s really phenomenal.

“We are really aware that a lot of people are in way, way worse situations than us - we’re really conscious of that.”

Matt and Claire were determined to beat cancer - again - and were focusing on keeping their lives “as normal as possible” for as long as they could.

“Our main focus is keeping life as normal as possible for the kids - just keeping them busy,” Matt said.

“They know exactly what’s going on, we’ve been really truthful with them, we just want to make sure they feel safe.

“If life is as normal as possible, that’s what keeps us sane through this - we have been down this road once before so we know what’s in store.

“I’d always joked with Claire that I took the hit for the family, that no one else was allowed to get cancer.”

Matt said the family was determined to beat the disease and were thankful and grateful to everyone who was helping them - financially and otherwise.

How to help

If you want to donate to the Givealittle page for Matt and Claire Child, click here.