Help Karen Fight Aggressive Ovarian Cancer, with Love, Kindness and a bit of Sparkle!

$22,500 of $60,000 goal
Given by 128 generous donors in around 6 months

Help Karen to fight aggressive Ovarian Cancer - Accessing treatment asap and ongoing costs involved.

Auckland

If you know Karen, you know she’s the kind of person who can make a room laugh with her unfiltered and riotous personality. She’s our radiant, funny, big-hearted friend — and now she’s facing something no one should have to deal with; Ovarian cancer.

After a whirlwind of tests, Karen has recently been diagnosed with aggressive Ovarian Cancer, which has metastasised through her peritoneum and beyond. It is so aggressive, it can spread within weeks. She has been told that it is up to a 2 month wait to see an oncologist and get treatment within the public system - time she doesn't have. Given the aggressive nature of the tumours she urgently needs to access the private system to start treatment, as only quick action will give Karen the chance of survival.

Every dollar raised will help to get her started in private health care, so she can fight this fiercely. It will also help with any ongoing expenses and financial burden faced in her journey.

If you can spare any funds, anything at all, it would mean the world. Let’s rally the laughter, kindness, and generosity that Karen has given all of us over the years, and help her fight this with the same sparkle and sass we all love her for.

Thank you for standing with her. Let’s get her back to making trouble, cracking jokes, and living life loud — right where she belongs.

Paula Weston's involvement (page creator)

Long time High School Friends Tanya and Paula

Use of funds

Accessing unfunded treatment asap and ongoing living costs involved

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Latest update

Goal added for treatment/medical costs  10 December 2025

Now that things are a bit clearer, we have added a goal which will help with treatment and medical costs going forward, and a small amount to help with living costs, while Karen can not work. Karen has been told that she can not transfer into the public system once she has started in private ( something she is fighting )She had no choice but to start in Private as the wait in public was too long even as an urgent case. Let's get behind her as much as we can - every dollar helps!

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Latest donations

Brett Moller
Brett Moller on 03 Apr 2026
Wishing you all the best
$35
Tracy
Tracy on 04 Mar 2026
Keep smiling girl! X
$200
Melissa Karu
Melissa Karu on 16 Feb 2026
Am a friend of Sandra’s - my friend also is going through the same thing, sending prayers 🩷🙏🏻
$20
Brydie
Brydie on 02 Feb 2026
$200
Cathy
Cathy on 29 Jan 2026
You’ve got this my friend. I admire your courage and strength xx
$500

Who's involved?

Paula Weston's avatar
Created by Paula Weston
Karen Leithead's avatar
Paying to a verified bank account of Karen Leithead
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This campaign started on 16 Nov 2025 and ended on 15 May 2026.