Give Sharn More Time

At just 39, Sharnelle was diagnosed with breast cancer. She fought it hard - through chemotherapy, radiation and a mastectomy that saw her spend her 40th birthday in hospital.

If you know Sharn, you’ll know how she handled it. She got on with it. She worked whenever she could, looked after everyone around her and faced an incredibly difficult year with amazing strength.

Since her diagnosis, Sharn has been a member of Abreast of Life Dragon Boating, dedicating herself to supporting other women affected by cancer.

Four years on, at 44, Sharn’s cancer has returned. This time it is a rare form of breast cancer that has spread to her lungs and lymph nodes. It cannot be cured and will shorten her life.

Sharn and her partner, Andrew Stace, are now facing something no couple should have to face. There are treatments that may shrink or slow the cancer, keep Sharn comfortable and give her something incredibly precious: more time and the best quality of life possible.

One is Keytruda, an immunotherapy funded for some cancers in NZ, but not Sharn’s rare type. Unfunded cancer treatment can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Sharn and Stace are two of the loveliest, kindest and most hardworking people you’ll meet. They’re the first to help others, and now they need our support. Every donation - big or small - will help Sharn access treatment and hopefully give her more precious time with Stace and the people she loves.

Please give whatever you can. It will mean more than you know.