A fundraising page for Pemberton man Bendigo Noble has raised more than $30,000 after the young man was diagnosed with leukaemia in August. Noble’s shock diagnosis completely uprooted his life plans, forcing him and his partner, Tara Lundrigan, to move down to the city overnight to receive life-saving treatment in Vancouver General Hospital.
Lundrigan told Pique the cancer diagnosis came as a complete shock to her seemingly healthy and fit partner.
“At the beginning of August, he started just feeling really weak,” she said. “He went to the doctor and was prescribed penicillin, which just completely tanked his immune system, which was already messed up. When he went back for a blood test a day later, the hospital called him and said that we needed to pack a bag and drive to the city. They said he was going to be there for at least a night. Five days later, he had his leukaemia diagnosis.”
The 24-year-old “mountain man’s” life was uprooted within the space of 24 hours, throwing his family and friends into the world of hospital wards, car pools and chemotherapy.
“We didn’t know what was going on,” said Lundrigan. “We just went down thinking it was going to be a night, and he hasn’t left the city since. It was really hard on my end, having to pack up his life. It was instantaneous. He had no choice. He had to message his work and explain that he was stuck for an unknown amount of time.”
The pair are now both unemployed and putting all their focus into getting Noble home. They are bouncing between family and friends’ homes in Vancouver, with all their belongings lying in shipping containers. Meanwhile, Pemberton residents have stepped up to support one of their own
“We are completely dumbfounded by the support we have received,” said Lundrigan. “The Hwy. Café did a fundraising day for us. Bendigo is a man of few words, and seeing all the support roll in has shocked him. He didn’t realize the impact he had on the community. We had random people donating who said Bendigo had jumpstarted their cars on the side of the road.”
The couple’s story could rival anything on the big screen, a meet-cute in a bar that led to a whirlwind romance. Lundrigan feels she was always meant to meet Noble. He came into her life at exactly the right time.
“We met randomly one night in Squamish. I was living in the States,” she said. “I was in Squamish spreading my dad’s ashes when I just met Ben chilling outside of a bar. I walked up to him and said ‘hey.’ It blossomed into this amazing thing. He helped me through such a dark part of my life. Now, two years later, he gets diagnosed with cancer and I can be there for him. It feels like we were brought into each other’s lives for a reason.”
Noble’s unwavering positivity has not faltered even during this extremely trying time.
“He just has the most positive outlook on life,” said Lundrigan. “He is an adrenaline junkie, and the kindest person that I’ve ever met. Every single person that meets him says the exact same thing.”
Luckily, Noble is in one of the best spots in Canada for leukaemia treatment. A meeting on Sunday, Jan. 14 will indicate next steps after his last round of chemotherapy.
“They have an amazing program. They do lots of research,” Lundrigan said. “He has the best chance where he is right now. After his last round of chemo, it’s just a lot of testing and making sure they got it all. Overall, we are very positive. “
Lundrigan admits the money received through the GoFundMe page is depleting quickly, as transit and food costs start to build up. The pair will move back into an RV when they move back to Pemberton, less than ideal during the winter months.
“When we moved out, our landlord sold the trailer that we rented,” said Lundrigan. “Luckily, we have an RV waiting for us. We just have to winterize it. So many of his friends are helping us to get set up while we are stuck in the city.”
The couple’s main priority now is getting Noble back to Pemberton. He poses with his thumb up in a photo taken after finishing his last round of chemotherapy. The mountain man is eager to get healthy, get out of the city, and get back to where he belongs.
“The city is loud,” said Lundrigan. “Ben is solidified in the fact that he is a mountain man. Being in the city made him realize that he wants a quieter life.”
You can donate to the GoFundMe here.
