JJ's greatest challenge - ‘I'M DOING THIS FOR MY FAMILY!'

The actress reveals the personal heartache driving her on Treasure Island

- Sebastian van der Zwan

Like her Celebrity Treasure Island castmate Edna, actress JJ Fong has a very close connection to her chosen charity, Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand.

“My auntie passed away from leukaemia about eight years ago, so I’m doing this for my cousins,” reveals the Creamerie and Step Dave star, 35. “My father’s younger sister was a single mum and they had to look after her when they were in their early 20s. That was really hard on the family.”

JJ has fond memories of her aunt cooking her specialty, schnitzel and mashed potatoes, when she’d go for sleepovers with her cousins. When her aunt got sick, it was JJ’s turn in the kitchen, making fresh fruit and vege juices to bring to the hospital.

“Watching my dad grieving was the hardest thing for me and seeing my cousins taking up responsibility was something that I’ll never forget,” she says. “Grief changes the entire family.”

Coincidentally, JJ’s campmate Brynley Stent is playing for the same charity because her mother died of the blood cancer non-Hodgkin lymphoma when the comedienne was 18.

“Sharing our stories on the island was a comfort to me,” shares JJ. “She lost her mum at such a young age and I really admire her strength throughout the show.”