A Brief history about Jethro
Jethro was born in 2010 in Auckland’s North Shore. At 8 months old after a while of being ill his worried mother took him to Starship Hospital where he was diagnosed with an incurable and extremely rare sickness Atypical Hemolitic Uremic Syndrome. AHUS is extremely rare and Jethro is the only child in New Zealand to ever be diagnosed with it and is only one of 3 in Australasia. AHUS only affects young children. There is only one medication which is effective with AHUS and this is Soliris which is also one of the world’s most expensive medications at $500,000 per year. New Zealand is one of the only countries where it is not funded and Jethro has been denied funding twice due to the on-going cost of it. Without Soliris Jethro's Heart, Kidneys and Liver can stop with no notice and the only other treatment is weekly transfusions of plasma which can be rather painful and means staying still for long periods of time. Jethro’s story has been covered numerous times in the New Zealand Herald, New Idea, http://www.stuff.co.nz/ and many other publications but the drug still isn’t funded by Pharmac despite three years of tireless campaigning by Jethro’s family and friends.
Jethro’s Facebook Support Page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Support-for-Jethro-Morrow-aka-Jethro-Gantley/251266464918462
Jethro's Trademe Auction Page:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=651344026&ed=true
About Jammin for Jethro
In 2011 Black Frog Event & Artist Management heard about Jethro's plight and endeavoured to run a fundraiser event every year that Jethro's family needs to find the money for the medication. In 2011 there were two events, one in Auckland and one in Hamilton, that saw 15 bands play with over $1000 raised and around $2000 worth of sponsorship gained. In 2012 a total 32 bands played in four events in Auckland (two events), Hamilton and Palmerston North with just under $2000 being raised and more than twice that in in-kind sponsorship with 100% of profit going directly to The Jethro Morrow Health Trust.
More information about Black Frog and Jammin for Jethro can be found here:
Frog Management Group Website:
http://www.frogmanagementgroup.com/
Jammin for Jethro Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jammin-for-Jethro/289623231145981
The Events for 2013
Palmerston North Jammin for Jethro 2013
This is being run by Aaron Smith and Terry McIntosh. MANAWATU METAL are the principal sponsors with support from The Royal (free venue hire including use of the PA) and Willy from the band Kavort is doing the Sound and Lighting for the night. In total over $1000 in in-kind sponsorship so please support these local businesses!
Friday 18th October @ The Royal
44 Rangitikei St, Palmerston North
Doors at 8.30 PM with first band at 9.30 PM.
Featuring:
Precursor https://www.facebook.com/PrecursorNZ
The Rising Tide https://www.facebook.com/TRTNZ
Grief Giver https://www.facebook.com/pages/GriefGiver/246780265428765
Cephalopod https://www.facebook.com/SquidcoreNZ
The Heathen Collective https://www.facebook.com/theheathencollective
FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE for all updates:
https://www.facebook.com/events/146517248888834/
Paeroa Jammin for Jethro 2013
This event will replace both the Hamilton and Auckland events this year and is looking to be a rather large event with 10-12 bands performing so far a date is yet to be confirmed but will be towards the end of November or early December.