FIND THE GOFUNDME PAGE HERE
To all our Stonetrip friends, peers, families and fans!
This is one of the hardest announcements we’ve had to make and we’re devastated to share with you all our drummer Con Batz has got the battle of his life with recently being diagnosed with an aggressive Kidney Cancer!
In hope this reaches you all within our loyal music community, we need your help for Con & his family to get our man back on the road to recovery!
Con’s sister, Donna, has wonderfully organised a ‘Go Fund Me’ campaign for Con’s cause.
Please, if possible, give generously to help show your love and support for someone whose years of performing has given inspiration not only with us, his wife Elisabeth, children & students but, so many friends and fans as he works hard to get back onstage where he belongs.
“Message from Elisabeth below” – Con’s wife.
F#*K CANCER!!….I thought it was time to let our friends, family and friendly music community know what has been going on in the BATZ household.
Mid-February we made a quick decision to move out to the Yarra Valley and enjoy a slower paced life. The move was a very big one but definably worth every sacrifice we made, and little did we know, what was about to become our tree change & garden oasis for other reasons. 2 weeks after our move, Con wasn’t recovering from the physical move as quickly as we had hoped. After a few doctors visits we were told something no one ever wants to hear.
Con has been diagnosed with Cancer. Renal Pelvis Carcinoma TCC. How the hell do you get your head round this???……..
We have had 2 & half months to process this, while Con has undergone many tests, CT scans, x-rays, and 2 surgeries to determine the severity and next step for Con. The GREMLIN’s (I have named it) are in his Right Kidney area. From the two investigative surgeries already done, the GREMLIN’s are in a “hard to get to position”, uncommon, untreatable area.
Next Tuesday 23rd of May, Con is finally having major surgery and will have his right kidney area removed; kidney, ureter/tumour (tubes between kidney & bladder) top part of the bladder & chemotherapy – RADICAL LAPAROSCOPIC NEPHROURETERECTOMY + OPEN LOWER END surgery.Yep… its pretty involved and intense! Feeling very real, surreal, and pretty bloody shit!!
For many of you that know Con, he is a private person but already the overwhelming love and support from our family and very close friends has been such a calming and healing influence on Con. He has always been a pretty positive and motivated soul, and I am already watching his determination in overdrive to not let this beat him. The next 6 months are not going to be easy but in true BATZ fashion, we will beat this!!!
Please keep Con, my best friend, love of my life, in all your thought and prays, beliefs to all higher powers welcome!!!
