Help us raise funds to give Tamsyn a fighting chance to spend as much time as possible with her daughter Anja.
Dunedin, Otago
Tamsyn is a mother, a former triathlete and a police officer whose strength, resilience, and bravery have always defined her. Three years ago, at age 37, she was diagnosed with stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer. She fought with everything she had- strength, grit and determination, she bet the odds and was declared pathologically clear of cancer. She got her life back, returned to raising her 10-year-old daughter Anja, and completed a Wanaka half Ironman—proving her unstoppable spirit.
Now, the cancer has returned, spreading to multiple parts of her body. She has been given a terminal diagnosis with a time frame of 3-12 months. True to who she has always been, she's meeting it with strength, dignity and a focus on the people she loves the most. Her world right now is her daughter Anja.
Through it all, Tamsyn remains fiercely determined to fight and give Anja her mum for as long as possible. She cherishes precious time with her husband Glen, family, and friends, and carries the memory of her stillborn daughter, Aroha, close to her heart.
Friend and battle buddy
Funds raised will go towards treatment that could extend her life, the first treatment- Enhertu (trastuzumab) comes with a cost of $120,000. Her strand of TNBC is not covered by public funding.
June update 28 June 2026
A few weeks ago, Tamsyn received the heartbreaking news that her cancer has returned, with new tumours in her liver and spine, including spots close to her spinal cord.
Today was meant to look very different. Tamsyn, Glen and Anja were meant to travel to Germany for Challenge Roth—a race that holds a special place in Tamsyn’s heart. She had dreamed of showing Anja where she raced and spent so many summers as a triathlete. Sadly, the decision not to travel was made just hours before departure so she could remain close to her medical team.
The next treatment options are incredibly difficult. The drug her specialists believe could help the most won’t be available in New Zealand until 2028—time she doesn’t have. Another treatment is available now, but costs around $60,000 every three months, with no guarantee it will work.
Last week, Tamsyn travelled to Auckland for planning scans ahead of high-dose radiation to treat the tumours near her spine.
Instead of Germany, the family will spend a few days in Fiji making precious memories together while staying within reach of her medical team.
Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared this page or sent messages of support. Your kindness means more than you know.
She is still brave. Still resilient. Still showing up. And still fighting with everything she has.
If you know of affordable Auckland accommodation for her upcoming radiation treatment, we’d love to hear from you.
Mel
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