Hope for Josie

19 year old Josephine Hepi-Hika (Josie) is in the middle of a fight for her life!

On Tuesday, 6 April 2021, Josie was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, two strands of cancer called Burkitts lymphoma leukemia and lymphoma.

At the time Josie was diagnosed, she was 35 weeks pregnant with her first child. Doctors were concerned as the type of cancer she had was progressing rapidly. So they made the decision to 'induce labour’ to ensure both Josie and baby were safe and Josie would be able to start treatment immediately. On 7 April 2021 Josie gave birth naturally to a beautiful baby girl named Luna-Demiia.

Since then Josie’s family, particularly her parents Kaama and Aaron, partner Calais, nan Marlene, koro Heemi, all her siblings, her dad Titara and all her Nan’s, koro’s, Aunties, Uncles and Cousins have had a rollercoaster of a time, and it's been just 2 weeks.

Josie started her initial round of chemotherapy the evening Luna-Demiia was born, and then she started a more aggressive form of chemotherapy on Sunday, 11 April 2021.

Josie has a long journey ahead of her with many more rounds of chemotherapy over many months. But she is an incredible young woman, she’s strong, resilient and awe-inspiring. And she and her partner Calais are wonderful parents to Luna-Demiia.

Josie’s family is strong, but the future is still uncertain, and that is where we come in.

A donation of any size, no matter how big or small will enable Josie’s family to spend every minute possible making the most out of life for Josie, and this is all that the family want to do.

Thank you for taking the time to read Josie’s story.