28/10/2026
❤️ MY CANCER JOURNEY — A LITTLE UPDATE FROM ME TO YOU ❤️
Kia ora e te whānau,
I've been wanting to share a little more about my cancer journey, especially now that some beautiful friends of mine are organising a fundraiser to help support me and my family.
I feel it's important that people understand where I'm at with my health, what I'm facing, and why we're preparing for what may lie ahead.
In 2020, I was diagnosed with bowel cancer. What followed was the beginning of a journey I never imagined I'd have to walk. I underwent six weeks of chemoradiation therapy in Hamilton, hoping that the treatment would successfully destroy the cancer. Unfortunately, it didn't work as we had hoped, and I was left with no choice but to undergo major surgery to remove the tumour. This surgery also resulted in me having a permanent colostomy bag, something that was life-changing in itself and took a lot of adjusting to, both physically and emotionally.
Following surgery, I spent the next 18 months under surveillance, attending regular appointments and scans, hoping and praying that the cancer was finally behind me. Unfortunately, that wasn't to be. In 2023, I received the devastating news that the cancer had returned and had spread to my left lung. This meant undergoing yet another major surgery to remove the affected part of my lung. Once again, I found myself having to pick myself up, recover, and continue fighting.
Despite everything I had already been through, my cancer journey was far from over. Further cancer deposits were discovered in my chest, and although I underwent more treatment, including chemotherapy and radiation, the cancer continued to progress.
Today, my diagnosis is Stage 4 metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma. In simple terms, my bowel cancer has spread to other parts of my body.
The cancer has now grown into my left chest wall, affecting my ribs, fracturing one of them, and growing through the skin. The pain has become a significant part of my everyday life.
Recently, I met with a cardiothoracic surgeon and a plastic surgery team who have offered me the possibility of major surgery. This would involve removing the cancerous area, including affected ribs and chest wall tissue, and using muscle from my back to reconstruct my chest.
It's a massive operation, with significant risks and recovery involved. And while it may help relieve my pain and improve my quality of life, it is not a guaranteed cure for my cancer.
So right now, I'm faced with some incredibly difficult decisions.
At the same time, my family and I are exploring other possibilities, including overseas treatments such as CAR-T cell therapy, targeted treatments and clinical trials. Whether I qualify for any of these remains to be seen, but I want to know that I've explored every reasonable opportunity available to me.
The reality is that some privately funded treatments overseas can potentially cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. As a family, we're trying to understand what options may be available to us and how we could possibly fund them if the opportunity arose.
It's incredibly overwhelming to even contemplate the possibility of borrowing against our whare, or having to reach out to whānau and loved ones for financial support. Especially when we know that so many families are already doing it tough, simply trying to keep up with the everyday cost of living. The last thing we would ever want is for anyone to feel pressured or burdened by our circumstances.
But when you're faced with the possibility of more time with the people you love, it's hard not to explore every avenue, no matter how daunting it may seem.
And that's the difficult place we find ourselves in right now. Trying to balance hope with reality, while preparing for a future that holds so many unknowns.
And this is where the fundraising comes in.
My beautiful friends are helping raise funds, not because we have all the answers, but because we don't.
We don't know what treatment opportunities may become available, whether they will require overseas travel, how much they may cost, or what expenses our family may face along the way.
The funds raised will help us prepare for those possibilities, whether that's specialist consultations, future treatments, travel, accommodation, medical expenses or simply helping with everyday household costs while we navigate this journey.
But there's something else I want people to understand.
Having cancer doesn't mean I've stopped living.
If you see me out having dinner with my husband, enjoying time with friends, celebrating something special, or treating myself occasionally, please don't mistake those moments for a life without struggles.
Those are the moments I'm fighting for.
I still want to laugh. I still want to make memories. I still want to enjoy the simple things that make life beautiful.
I'm a wife. I'm a mum to three beautiful boys. I'm a businesswoman. And underneath everything that comes with this diagnosis, I'm still me.
Cancer has already taken so much from me physically and emotionally. I don't want it to take away every bit of happiness and normality too.
I know that when people donate to a fundraiser, they're giving from their hearts, and I will never take that generosity for granted. Any funds raised will be treated with gratitude, care and respect.
But I also hope people understand that supporting someone through cancer isn't just about paying for a treatment. Sometimes it's about giving a family a little breathing room, a little security, and the ability to concentrate on what matters most when tomorrow is uncertain.
What I do know is that I'm not ready to stop exploring my options, and I'm certainly not ready to stop living.
I have so much love around me, so many memories still to make, and so much that I want to be here for.
To my friends organising this fundraiser, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
And to everyone who has supported me, whether through a donation, a kind message, a prayer, a hug or simply checking in, please know how much it means to me.
There is absolutely no expectation for anyone to give. Your love and support already mean more than you know.
I'm sharing my story not for sympathy, but for understanding, awareness and hope.
Because while I am living with cancer, I am also still living my life. And I intend to make every moment count. ❤️
Ngā mihi nui,
Wai ❤️
