Jen Holland

In August 2016, 3 months after her beloved sister in law Rebecca had passed away from the same thing, Jen discovered she had colon cancer.

After initially feeling hopeful that bowel surgery and chemotherapy would see Jen on a road to recovery, unfortunately the cancer reappeared in her spleen.

This meant that in March this year major surgery in Hamilton was required with more aggressive chemo. This operation is not for the faint hearted but to Jen it was the only option.

After a long recovery Jen once again left hospital with high hopes of being cancer-free and was looking forward to starting her new 'normal' life in Invercargill.

Yet again this was not to be and cancer reappeared in the pelvis. This time it looked like it was going to be unbeatable.

A course of palliative chemotherapy was organised but after 2 months this was found to be not working and a tumour was found by her bladder and spine.

Chemotherapy has now been stopped and in place of that Jen has started a 4-week course of palliative radiation in Dunedin. This will help to lessen the pain so her quality of life going forward will be better.

Jen stays at Daffodil house in Dunedin from Monday to Friday and travels back to Invercargill on the weekends.

The options for chemo-refractory metastatic colon cancer are limited so now is the time for Jen in the next few months, to focus on doing anything she wants to do.

One of the things she would like to do is to take a trip and create some wonderful memories with her husband Glen and four children – Kyla, Briarne, Michael and Rebecca.

Friends and family are trying to raise some money to help Jen and her family achieve these goals and thought there may be some other generous people out there willing to give a little something too.

She has always been an incredibly strong and positive person which has not changed despite what she has been through. Her continued sense of humour and courage is an inspiration to us all.

NO ONE CAN HELP EVERYONE, BUT EVERYONE CAN HELP SOMEONE…