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Just alittle more time

  • The last update.

      6 August 2024
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    With a broken heavy heart , Kay( Karrissa) took her final breath on Sunday. With all her loved ones around her in hospice. Fought so hard to stay.

    We thank each and everyone on here. Without your generosity and kindness her journey wouldn't of been as long. You all gave her hope and a chance to fight longer and harder. Your words of kindness and support gave her strength. She battled this cruel and harsh disease with courage and dignity. She advocated for others and her huge heart and kindness never faulted. She is my hero. The world lost an angel on 4th of August. Her pain and struggle is no more.

    We are truly honored and blessed that strangers to friends and family on here helped in so many ways. For that we thank you all.

    Find rest my beautiful girl.. I'll see you again when I get there

    Mum.

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    • 06/08/2024 by Bruce

      You will always be in our hearts miss you for ever love cathy and bruce

    • 06/08/2024 by Michele

      Forever loved & never forgotten. You fought so hard to stay. Rest easy. Such a brave lady. Our hearts are broken . Xxxx

  • New Update

      6 July 2024
    Posted by: Karrissa Ririkore
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    Hey just a quick update for everyone! Today marks the 3 month prognosis I was given , well, 3 months ago! I'm still alive which is wonderful to put it lightly ha! (Well yesterday as it's just gone midnight) The olaparib from Everest pharmaceuticals is most likely the reason for giving me this precious extra time. I've managed to do a few diy projects around the house which has kept me busy as I no longer work sadly. I miss my midwifery so so much. Closing that chapter of my life has been incredibly difficult. Coming into the school holidays now and hoping and planning to spend as much time as I can making memories and just being with my beautiful family.

    Scan next week, I'm getting more pain where a new breast tumour is, the lungs, and the ribs where it has spread to also, more shortness of breath (still having random seizures too due to tumours in the brain) so not holding out too much hope but I am here and I'm alive. I'll keep going until I can't.

    Like a cockroach 😀

    Love you all, thankyou for everything ❤️

    I will update again soon x

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    • 07/07/2024 by Liz Olding

      Thinking of you kay xx hope you have a beautiful school holidays with family. 💜 my brother had the same timeframe given at the same time as you and he did all you can by staying positive when you can and enjoying every day. You inspiration and remimd me of my brother. I've messaged you on facebook in case you are up for visitor and some laughs.some time. x

      Lizzie

  • Update 2/2

      10 April 2024
    Posted by: Karrissa Ririkore
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    This new drug not funded is called a parp inhibitor (olaparib) With the help of my beautiful sister in law and Adams and my amazing family we are absolutely set on getting trying this, which will be coming from Bangladesh as significantly cheaper than our extremely greedy pharmaceutical companies in NZ

    I plan on hosting a "bring a plate" at a local or semi local park somewhere soon so everyone who wants to see me can while I'm still here and capable. So watch this space for a date and time. Maybe it will be a teddy bears picnic! How do you explain to your just turned 5 year old what's going on, mummy will be in the stars soon? How do I train my stage 5 clinger for life without me? If you want to donate still and able to, anything leftover after paying for these drugs will be to make memories with my 3 kids and husband and family or left for my kids so they will be looked after when I am gone.

    I cannot say how appreciative we are of every little cent we've received already throughout this journey. I'll always be mindblown at the love and kindness that's touched our hearts and will always be grateful. Thankyou everyone, feeling the love all around 🥰

    Karrissa xo

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  • Not so good update (1/2)

      10 April 2024
    Posted by: Karrissa Ririkore
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    Update (1/2) - because I've been tired and to be honest hard to know what to say we're devastated to say the least- so bluntly :

    Drs have given me 3 months, I've had multiple seizures, closest we thought was 4 days apart but today 12 hours apart! So with that and the recent CT scan showing massive spread in the lungs everywhere. New breast tumour they're leaving alone (coz what's the point cutting that out right?!) my prognosis is pretty bloody grim. Too much cancer in the lungs to radiate and no more to brain incase of necrosis. On an oral chemo but the last 3 chemos have failed me so guess I'm a bit resistant there now!

    I'm feeling like absolute crap today because my household all have a cold so makes breathing and coughing , hell even moving hard work! Had a spot of radiation yesterday to help with the pain on a small part of pleural lining which has been awful to deal with

    Anyway still holding onto one more Xmas with my babies, just 1 more is all I ask for!

    There's 1 more drug I'm holding onto to try and get me there. Of COURSE not funded in NZ (Funded for brca1 ovarian cancer in NZ, but I have brca1 breast cancer😂🙄🙄🙄) also funded pretty much everywhere else in the world for breast cancer just not NZ . Never NZ . OH the tax my husband and I have paid and the hours and hours I've devoted to the health system here underpaid and overworked as a midwife to have it kick me right in the ass when I've needed it's help back just breaks us

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  • Name change

      26 December 2023
    Posted by: Karrissa Ririkore
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    Just wanted to say I got married - a couple months ago! So my name is different but it's still me 😃

    Not doing too well lately, lots of pain meds and being sick but I had a great Christmas with my kids, husband and family 💞. I hope for more Christmas's but I'm grateful for having this one ,❤️

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  • Update

      30 November 2023
    Posted by: Karrissa Ririkore

    Hey guys thought I'd do a quick update for those who are following my "journey"!

    Immunotherapy seems to have stopped working, I've had a couple seizures in the last 2 months and now under hospice care who are amazing and have my pain under control. I am trialling a new (unfunded of course) drug called temozolomide for the brain Mets and on oral chemo for the lungs. I'm also on anti seizure meds so hopefully no more of those! There is some spread and growth but it's to be expected for stage 4, and I'm not planning on going anywhere anytime soon! One day there will be a cure I am hopeful! I recently just got married to the love of my life and have such a beautiful life with a beautiful support system and amazing children and family, I am blessed and love my life . I am thankful for everyone's donations this last year. I am truly blown away everytime I think about the generosity of everyone, even complete strangers. Life is beautiful, growing old is a blessing. Make the most of the amazingness of life. It truly is a gift .. I will try to be better with updates xx

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  • Mum's update

      6 June 2023

    To everyone who has generously donated and supported in any way.. we are all so thankful. To all friends and family, colleagues or fellow women warriors, please promote this page on social media, share share share, on going costs still a heavy burden on this wee family and will continue to be while she keeps fighting this. A Beautiful mum who deserves a lifetime with her children.

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  • New update

      6 June 2023
    Posted by: Karrissa Ririkore
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    Hey! Thought I should do a quick update. Sadly bout a month ago 3 new spots had popped up on scan in my brain and I need to do radiation on these (starting next week) in Palmerston North. Last time I had this I was quite sick but I'm hoping because these are targeted rather than whole brain fry, I will not be so unwell. The body has remained stable with no new spots - so I think the immunotherapy has for sure helped that everyone rallied around and donated for! Just need to get the brain sorted and I'll be right to carry on. Immunotherapy is on hold for couple weeks till radiation is over then start back on it again. Im a fighter and not planning on going anywhere. Lessons still to teach and definetly to learn. Thanks everyone x

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  • Recent scan report

      21 December 2022
    Posted by: Karrissa Ririkore

    I had a CT couple days ago that showed brain tumours have shrunk, lung tumours have all shrunk and pleural effusions all gone. Cutting chemo down because it’s a killer but all great news! 😁

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  • Huge thank you to everyone.❤️❤️

      20 December 2022

    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02Wx49D2X8dK43hEvyzGaeHXfom4arJ9Rtk3hQtY5Eey47esj5idt3y43CNnpeBqTdl&id=100064240077100&mibextid=Nif5oz

    So thankful and blessed to all who have donated, not just money, but time and thoughts. Your compassion and positive messages have kept us all moving forward with hope. A big shout out to a wonderful local charity mellowpuff, all their wonderful volunteers, sponsors ,that gave Kay, Adam and my grandchildren a wonderful amazing gift. ( See link for full story)We have been given some wonderful hopeful news on her courages battle of this horrible disease, her update will follow to all sharing her journey. Forever humbled at the kindness and support of people. Thank you all. Merry Christmas

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  • Recent scan

      16 November 2022
    Posted by: Karrissa Ririkore
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    Just an update for those following my journey

    Top scan was last week

    Bottom scan was 3 weeks prior

    Some shrinkage seen in the nodules 🙌

    Some fluid in lungs but managing ok with that

    Much more hopeful than weeks ago and thinking positive ❤️💗🌸

    Thankyou to everyone who has donated again, we personally go through each message and we still can’t believe how generous everyone has been and we feel the love so much ❤️❤️

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  • Full of hope and gratitude

      26 October 2022
    Posted by: Karrissa Ririkore
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    I can’t thank everyone enough - you’ve touched our hearts in so many ways. We feel the love and kindness and generosity from our friends, family, our community and even people who we don’t know personally but have donated and written messages filled with love and hope

    Today I am having my first chemo, i’m very hopeful it will kill that cancer!

      1 comment  |  Login to leave a comment

    • 17/11/2022 by Sharon Robinson

      Loved seeing you today, Karrissa!! You are a hero!! XOXO

  • So blessed and so grateful

      20 October 2022

    Absolutely blown away by so many generous donations. So many lovely messages of hope and heartfelt wishes. Everyone who has donated and shared we are forever grateful.

    ♥️♥️♥️

    Kay has had her first round of immunotherapy, her radiation finished and chemo to begin. She's fighting with all her courage and strength. And this platform has made her see how many value her, love her.

    🙏🙏♥️♥️

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