Friends rally for sick Whangarei man: $7400 raised in hours

Mike Kooge's friends have set up a donation site to help him and his family while he is in hospital.

More than $7000 was raised only hours after a Givealittle page was set up to ease some of the burden while Auckland-based radio personality Mike Kooge fights for his life.

The page was set up on Sunday for the 33-year-old, who grew up in Whangarei and is well known through his work as creative director, newsreader and occasional presenter. By mid-afternoon yesterday 217 donors had raised $7424.

"Kooge", as he known on air, has been in Auckland City Hospital for nearly a week since suffering seizures related to a brain tumour. Five years ago he battled lymphatic cancer, after which specialists told him there was no sign of the disease left in his body.

The brain tumour was detected only when he was hospitalised after the first seizure last week. His family and friends set up the Givealittle site to help cover costs incurred while Kooge is off work and also to help his parents from Whangarei who are by his side.

"We all want to help, but don't know what we can do, what's appropriate, or what Kooge needs. There's only so much chocolate milk a guy can drink, right?" wrote Cate Owen, who set up the site.

"Most of you have at least some idea of what he and his family has faced over the last five years. What you may not be aware of is the financial toll it can take - lost work days, travel and accommodation costs, child care, parking fees, it all adds up really quickly."

Kooge's mother, Gaylene Kooge, said her son did not need the stress of how to pay rent and other expenses at this time.

"Dear Mike has so much debt incurred by this whole cancer experience that he is now so worried financially, a burden that doesn't help when one needs to concentrate on getting through this," she said.

Mrs Kooge said her son's illness was especially hard for the Kooge family who lost the Edge personality's nephew, Jeffrey Paterson, 21, less than a year ago through brain tumours.

If you want to donate, go to givealittle.co.nz/cause/getwellkooge.