Time is not on Dunedin resident John Alderman's side.
So it was important that he gathered five generations of his family at his home in Dunedin yesterday.
Mr Alderman (86), who was diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier this year, had only two wishes - to have a family tree created and to have his family together.
''We're five generations ... It's good, that's for sure,'' Mr Alderman said.
Daughter Janet Griffiths said the family had spent the day together and visited the grave of her mother, Anita.
''It was one of Dad's wishes,'' Mrs Griffiths said.
''We had initially thought of the group coming down to my place but Dad wanted it here.''
It took two weeks for Mrs Griffiths to organise Mr Alderman's granddaughter, great-granddaughter and four great-great-grandchildren to be at the same place at the same time.
It had been ''a while'' since the family was together like this, Mrs Griffiths said.
Mr Alderman has three children, seven grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
