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“Cancer took my Mum’s life this year, it CAN’T take mine too”

  • My final update

      19 April 2023

    It is with a heavy and broken heart that I let you know Cora has passed away. Cora showed her courageous strength, bravery and determination right to the end.

    On behalf of Cora and her family thank you to each and every one of you for supporting her no matter how big or small.

    Cora wanted me to leave this page open for her husband and daughter while they navigate life over the coming months without their Wife and Mum.

    Heaven has gained an angel, an angel flying high back into her Mum’s loving arms.

    “Goodbye is not forever

    Goodbyes are not the end

    They simply mean I’ll miss you

    Until we meet again”

    Take care and look after yourselves, your family and friends.

    Megan x

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  • Well team where to begin…

      14 February 2023

    My appreciation for every single one of you, your time, words, energy and donation is beyond words so please know I truly am indebted.

    My homecoming from Cologne was not what I envisaged or hoped. Within 24hrs after arriving home I was admitted to Wairau with a spontaneous sepsis in my abdomen. While I was rather immobile & lying around in hospital for 17 days I got a DVT in my left leg.

    I managed to put this all behind me and I was discharged on the 23rd of Dec, just in time for Christmas with the family.

    Well the next part is not ideal, but definitely wasn’t a waste of time either. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to go to Cologne and try this treatment, I am not one to leave any stone unturned.

    I had a scan to see where things were at and the sad news is, there is overall growth!!! 😰 Cologne didn’t return the results we had all wished for, which was stability of disease. Clearly the tumour burden was far too great for my immune system to truly get hold of and nail them. But the Cologne treatment did uncover some gems for me.

    When I started I had circulating cancer cells in my blood and when I left these were no longer so that’s a huge bonus.

    They also found in their laboratory that the cancer cells are sensitive to a targeted immunotherapy called Herceptin. Which I would have never known otherwise. This is available here in NZ under the private hospital scheme which means this will need to be paid for each dose. I have spoken with the oncologist and she is very happy for that to go ahead. Currently the oncologist has me trying a funded chemotherapy treatment.

    I have been very poorly since being discharged from hospital due to the size and the tumour burden present. The oncologist believes the sepsis in the abdomen is the straw that broke the camels back.

    I was so well in Cologne for 3mths, walking up to 25kms some days, we walked everywhere. All muscles built are now long gone!!!!

    I am taking it one day at a time, one foot in front of the other. But not feeling 100% and having pain present 24/7 is very debilitating and exhausting.

    I have my everything crossed that this treatment gives stable disease, and even better would be to shrink the tumours!

    I don’t think it’s too much to ask, if I could get some down time, stop treading water for a bit and get my boring, simple life back.

    Thank you all for your care and support. ♥️

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  • Thermomix fundraiser - raffle ticket

      9 December 2022
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    Evening everyone,

    If you would like to purchase a $25 raffle ticket to be in the draw to win a Thermomix, while helping Cora raise money for treatment, then please text Carol to purchase a ticket - her cellphone is at the bottom of the image below… we have sold 100 tickets but need to sell 100 more to enable a lucky winner and raising funds for Cora and her treatment.

    Thank you all and may you be blessed with a beautiful Christmas with your family & friends.

    Megan

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  • Germany Treatment FINISHED! Cora is on her way home...

      3 December 2022
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    Hello hello.

    We started our journey home this morning by grabbing an Uber to central station Cologne right outside the cathedral. Our last look at the gorgeous structure she is!

    I was feeling very emotional as this has been the place where I have felt safe while receiving groundbreaking treatment. I kinda feel I’ve left my safety net behind!

    We took the slow train down the Rhine, so we could admire the view as we have nothing to rush for.

    Arrived in Frankfurt, we are there three nights, two full days.

    We are staying not far from the Xmas markets in the old town square so we’ll have a look at those.

    We are assuming they’ll be all the same kinda stalls we wandered round in Cologne. But still very keen to see & feel the Xmas vibe!

    From there, Sat morning it’s off to the airport for 7am.

    Arriving home Mon 5th! WOW!

    Take care.

    Cora

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  • First Cycle complete

      16 October 2022
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    So, Cora has had her first cycle of treatment in Cologne. Things went well and she is feeling well.

    On the first day they took 19 tubes of blood for the laboratory to set a baseline & to make the dendritic cell vaccine. This is the personalised vaccine to fight against the specific tumours in her body. Two days later treatment started, with another 23 tubes of blood taken!!!! The first five days of treatment consisted of, the Newcastle Disease Virus being injected, local hyperthermia treatment on the upper & lower abdomen which is, modulated electrohyperthermia causing an elevated temperature in, and a stimulation of, tumor cells through electromagnetic waves, without affecting the healthy tissue.

    Through this, the tumor cells produce certain danger signals on their surface that provoke and intensify an immune reaction. This heat is 45 degrees Celsius but it’s not hot on the skin. She also receives ozone, Vit C & 1L of vitamins & minerals for the immune system through drip infusions. The treatment lasts 2-3hrs.

    The sixth day of treatment was rather taxing. It’s all of the above as well as whole body hyperthermia. Whole body hyperthermia is a fever-like increase in the core body temperature which is generated through infrared light. This passive temperature elevation stimulates the immune cells that are responsible for fighting the tumor.

    She lay in the tent covered in towels under 65 degree lamps. The bodies core temperature was brought up to 39.1 degrees which took 1.75hrs. They then covered her in the plastic of the tent & turned off the lamps.

    She lay there at 39.1 degrees for 1.5hrs, then slowly her immune system started to reduce the fever. She was uncovered once she got to 37 degrees. This took another 1.5hrs.

    Cora found this part of the treatment very difficult but wasn’t bowing down now!

    She was then given an injection into each ear and one injection into each upper arm under the skin. These injections were the peptides and the dendritic cells vaccine.

    Dendritic cells have a central function in the immune system: they recognize foreign or malicious structures and activate an immune response against these. Accordingly, they are of immense importance in the defense against infections, as well as against tumors.

    These days it is possible to generate dendritic cells from the monocytes of cancer patients. In the laboratory, they are “loaded” with information about the characteristics of the tumor and danger signals, and then administered as a vaccine to the patient. The vaccine results in the activation of the patient’s immune system and a triggering of a specific immune response against the tumor cells.

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    • 17/10/2022 by Deborah

      You are so strong Cora, don't ever doubt that. We are all thinking of you and wishing you the very best. You got this! Love from the Norris Family xx

  • Cora chooses to live!

      28 September 2022
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    Cora & Euan’s family, friends and people they haven’t had the pleasure of even meeting are all behind her, everyone is doing their bit to help, the love is overwhelming.

    Cora and Euan would love to thank every single person who has helped them through the give a little page, fundraisers, meals and the logistics of getting to Germany.

    A big thank you to Chris Valli of the Sun Paper for sharing Cora's story and creating awareness of Ovarian Cancer. To read this article: https://tinyurl.com/ichoosetolive

    For further information on Ovarian Cancer and the signs, please see: https://cureourovariancancer.org/nz/

    Cora started her first cycle of treatment on Monday in Cologne, Germany. We will keep you updated along the way.

    But for now believe in miracles, they are out there.

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