Help Natalie Beat Cancer and Keep Smiling

My beautiful sister Natalie has been quietly and bravely fighting aggressive Cervical Cancer for a year and a half now, since the tender age of 26. Throughout all her chemotherapy, radiation, multiple complicated surgeries, losing her hair, days on end at the hospital and feeling like she had the worst hangover, she has presented a smiling face to the world. Her positive outlook on life has been more than admirable. Natalie has worried more about how other people are feeling than herself.

Although we still see glimpses of it, today she is struggling to keep that beautiful smile on her face. Tragically her cancer has moved to the nerves surrounding the base of her spine and chewing at her bone causing her unbearable agony. Morphine is not working and the caring staff (aka angels) at the Dunedin Hospice are getting on top of her pain with Methadone and Ketamine. Her specialists are out of options in the New Zealand system and have written her a formal letter stating that her treatment from now on is palliative only.

Natalie, our family, her boyfriend Caleb (who in a twist of bad luck also had life threatening cancer) and all of Natalie’s friends refuse to accept this blunt diagnosis. Natalie's cancer is only cervical, which typically has a high recovery rate, is small and localised and it hasn’t spread throughout the rest of her body as far as we know. At the moment it is the pain she is in that is the problem.

After lot’s of research into alternative treatments we have decided our best option is to take Natalie overseas for targeted Next Generation Photodynamic Therapy. We have contacted references from NZ patients who have had amazing success following this treatment with similar cancer and prognosis. From her Hospice bed Natalie has given us permission to sort out all her travel arrangements, appointments and to fundraise for this expensive treatment. For all those that know Natalie you will know that she is very private and doesn’t want people fussing or worrying about her - happy to see this is changing!

We all love Natalie so so much, and we need her bubbly, vibrant, carefree spirit with us for many years to come. On behalf of my family and Caleb, and from the bottom of our hearts we thank you for all your support. Let’s help keep our beautiful Natalie smiling. xox

To understand the full story please click on the 'Updates' page.

Check out this video we made for Natalie prior to a huge surgery in November. She edited it after she had healed, make sure you watch until the end. www.youtube.com/embed/utZRVZABnHI