Help Krista Kick Cancer's Butt!
Raising funds to help Krista fight cancer
Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui
Krista lectures at UCOL teaching animal care and handling. She's 35, a single mum of three awesome kids, and my only sister
This year, Krista was diagnosed with cancer. In August, she went to Hutt Hospital to have a salivary gland secretory carcinoma removed. This involved removing half her lower lip, and removal of lymph nodes under her jaw. This required a neck dissection, which has left her with limited mobility in her right arm due to the severing of the nerves. An independent person, Krista now needs assistance with basic tasks
After surgery, Krista was discharged home to Palmerston North. Within 24hrs, however, she developed a severe post-op infection, and was taken to hospital via ambulance. She was transferred back to Hutt Hospital, and spent another week recovering from infection
Krista requires further surgeries to reshape her mouth, along with physical therapy, and will undergo targeted radiation. This means a lot of time off work, travel to Lower Hutt, and nights down there for her and our Mum, who is Krista's main support person. It also means being away from her kids, who are missing their mum terribly
Any help we can muster is gratefully received by Krista, her children, and her support system
Kat Sowerby's involvement (page creator)
I am Krista's younger sister, and I am taking care of her children during recovery and future treatments
Use of funds
While Krista receives some assistance through the National Travel Scheme, it does not cover all expenses. We are raising funds to cover travel and accommodation costs, and to ensure that ongoing expenses continue to be covered while Krista cannot work
Latest update
A Return to Hospital 8 September 2023
As if having cancer and her face sliced open wasn't enough for Krista and our family to deal with, this past week she has been a patient of the Women's Surgical Unit, getting some help for yet another complication!
Thankfully being in Palmy hospital means we can take the kids up to visit, but morale is down a wee bit for them all. After being so thrilled to have Krista back home again, this setback has been quite disheartening, and everyone is missing each other.
In some slightly more positive news: Krista has been working on her shoulder physio, and has regained some of her range of motion! There is still pain if she lifts a bit too high or moves it too quickly, but she was thrilled to show off her "new trick" when I brought her up some fresh PJs this morning.
We want to thank everyone for their generous donations and continued support/well wishes, we have been blown away by the first big wave of contributions!!
We do still have months and months of medical and hospital visits and their related costs ahead of us, and while UCOL has some wonderful supports in place for their staff in situations like these, Krista will very soon be out of her extra sick leave.
Any extra support we can get from our friends, family, and community will be gratefully received, so please do continue to share the link around even if you're not in a position to donate
Latest donations
Thank you, Doris, your support is very much appreciated 😊
Thanks Bryls ❤️❤️
Aww thanks so much guys ❤️
Thanks so much, Neesh ❤️❤️
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