Katherine’s Battle to be there for her Boys!

On Thursday 12th March 2015, Katherine (Kat) and Jarred started the fight of their lives!

Four weeks previously, on Valentine’s Day while enjoying a weekend away in Auckland which Jarred had received through a rewards programme run by his employer, Jarred had to rush Kat to Auckland Hospital suffering from acute stomach pain. Eighteen hours later Kat was in surgery undergoing an operation called an Upper Hemicolectomy to remove a large tumour from her large intestine.

The operation was a success but they were given the news that the tumour was cancerous and looked as though it had spread elsewhere. Kat then spent the next 10 days in hospital recovering from the operation and undergoing further tests and scans. They returned home to Cromwell and their precious three little boys on Thursday 26th February.

Four days later on Monday 2nd March, one day after Kats 35th Birthday and their 8 year anniversary, they travelled to Dunedin to meet with Kats Oncologist and receive the results of all the tests performed while in Auckland. They hoped for the best result in that the cancer could be removed or “cured” but unfortunately that was not the prognosis they received.

Kat has stage four bowel Cancer. The cancer has spread from the tumour in her large intestine, into a large majority of her lymph nodes and her liver.

Following the diagnosis it was recommended that Kat start aggressive chemotherapy immediately on Thursday 12th March. As part of this, they have been made aware of and have been offered access to a drug, Avastin, which assists with the effectiveness of the chemotherapy treatment but is not government funded and comes at a cost of $25,000. This will be partially covered by their medical insurance but it will still leave a significant financial gap for their family to cover.

Understandably Kat and Jarred want to ensure they are using all the available ammunition available to them in this battle that they must now fight every day to try and keep this cancer controlled and at bay, preserve as best they can their way of life and ensure that Jayden’s (5), Nathan’s (3) and Ryan’s (3 months) mummy is around for many years to come!

Kat is well known throughout the Cromwell and Queenstown communities having always had jobs involving constant contact and interaction with people from all walks of life since moving to the area in 2003.

Kat opened and ran Forge Café in the heart of Queenstowns CBD for five years from 2004 to 2009. After starting a family and wanting to work “more sensible hours” she closed the café and worked as a PA at the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce until 2011 then moved into banking, working for Westpac in customer services until 2013. Kat and Jarred then relocated the family to Cromwell where Kat was lucky enough to gain employment with the local ANZ branch where she works with a fantastic team and relished the opportunity to meet and get to know so many people in her new community.

Kat is the most caring, loving and selfless person you could ever meet. She never hesitates to bend over backwards for all those that require her help. She always has a smile on her face and even after all that has happened over the last 2 months she continues to amaze all that know her with her positive attitude and the manner in which she is dealing with what has happened ,all that is changing in her world and the uncertain future ahead.

Please help us help Kat and Jarred, if you are able to “give a little” it will go a long way in assisting Kat in her battle to be there for her boys!

All funding will be used for Chemotherapy which is not fully covered by the government and health insurance.