Helen's Journey

My eldest daughter Helen was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer during level 4 lockdown. Helen travels each Monday to stay in Christchurch and have radiation and chemotherapy every week day. Helen and her husband are farming on the West Coast and have four children aged 12-3.

Helen shared her journey on Mothers day her post is below.

Kids have some pretty strong intuition, I feel like Olli (3) knows and understands more than we realise! He’s been loving on me all day today, loads of cuddles and kisses and “I love you” “you’re the best mama ever”

So throughout our nations level 4 lockdown I’ve been travelling back and forth to Christchurch for a load of tests and scans.

I was then diagnosed with stage 3 cancer two weeks ago, it’s been a crazy old time. Our big kids know and understand what is happening and Loren has a 5yr old version of it, and Olli didn’t have a clue - or so we thought.

Tomorrow morning I leave for Christchurch because while the West Coast is a fabulous place to live, it doesn’t have the facilities for me to receive the treatment I need.

I’m not sure when I’ll be “home” again, I’m hopeful I’ll be able to come back next weekend before the chemotherapy and radiation treatments really take their toll (it’s a long way to drive on a good day 😅) but after that I may not be home again until this round of treatments are completed.

We have quite the road ahead of us, no idea of how this journey is going to look or pan out but I’m hoping and fighting for everything to go the right way and that I’ll be here for a long time yet.

Tonight I’m going to (hopefully get some) sleep feeling thankful for the support we’ve received so far, and for the support that will come in the coming weeks.