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Please help Nicola Petrie and her family x *BRAF Gene Mutation* 💔

  • Our beautiful Nic ❤️

      13 September 2025
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    A sad update… 💔

    Nic passed away at 12:18am on Monday morning, after a courageous battle that began on April 21st, 2024.

    Andrew has shared that the support their family has received from friends and people all around the world has been overwhelming.

    Until her very last day, Nic cherished every visitor, every phone call, and every message from those she loved. Her radiant smile, quick wit, and sense of humour never faded — she was truly inspirational.

    A beautiful soul, Nic’s love for her three girls — Renée, Zoe, and Greer — and for Andy, as well as her deep adoration for her parents, Christine and Kevin, and her love for her sister and brother - Megan and Kyle, shone brightly in her everyday life.

    For those of us lucky enough to have known Nic, we will never forget her kind and generous heart.

    Andrew has asked that any funds raised through Give A Little will go toward supporting Nic’s girls in the future.

    A celebration was held yesterday for Nic, followed by a private cremation. It was so special, and fitting to hear from Nic’s family and friends - reminiscing of adventures, the fun, humour, kindness and love - that was Nic. She will leave a massive gap in my life, and I miss her so much already. 💔

    Thank you to everyone that supported Nic, and her family through your donation to this page. Your kindness meant so much to Nic.

    Thank you,

    Nicky

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  • An update from Nic 🌻❤️

      11 June 2025

    Things have been quite stable but extremely unknown. This has meant we have learnt to live day by day, sometimes hour by hour. Hence updates felt a little futile. There wasn’t news to give other than “disease stable”. But at the end of April this changed. We enjoyed a lovely trip with the girls going to Methven, Akaroa and Christchurch. A holiday rich with memories to treasure.

    Shortly after I become more nauseous and started to get liver pain. This meant three hospital visits and a drop in energy that made me reminiscent for chemo fatigue. Why was I so unwell? The race was on for the medical team to solve the mystery. The result was likely an infection in my liver and likely growth of the tumours. BRAF does not need much time to grow and these little monsters are now squeezing my bile ducts.

    Unphased my oncologist decided now is the time to pull the trigger on my unfunded drugs. A wave of emotions rippled through but now we are even more positive as success stories online provide us with optimism.

    Today, Tuesday 10 June, I went to Mercy Hospital (private hospital) and had my first dose of cetuximab and encorafenib, well Pam’s brand equivalent. So far the infusion is sitting well. I receive this treatment plus my public hospital chemo every two weeks and we are back to most of day infusion, but who can be mad reading, screen watching and crossword solving.

    Update continued in comment section xo

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    • 11/06/2025 by Nicky Clouston

      It’s incredibly overwhelming to be the recipient of what has been such a mammoth fundraising effort. I have to fight back tears when I think of the lovely community that are generously given to me. We have also been so well wrapped around with friends taking girls for outings, meals, treats and love. This is truly a lovely gift that cancer has given.

      So for now we are two rounds into folfox and one round down of cetuximab and encorafenib. I’ll have a scan in the coming weeks to determine whether it is working and when it shows that it is we can keep the cycles going. The hope is I’m only buying these rounds for a short time and Pharmac make the decision to extend the public funding to all BRAF mutants. In the meantime I will enjoy straddling both services and take in all the lovely positives from it.

  • Update and NZ Herald Article x

      30 May 2024
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    Hi there,

    This week Nic and Andrew were interview for an article for the NZ Herald. Nic bravely shared her story with the goal of raising awareness of how symptoms of Bowel Cancer can be disregarded as something else, in NZ’ers in their 40’s.

    Nic started Chemotherapy last week, and has been working hard to get outside for a couple of walks. X

    Thank you again for your support and kindness. X

    Thank you

    Nicky Clouston

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/bowel-cancer-dunedin-mother-of-threes-shock-diagnosis-at-age-42/K6BX5HDMCZF6XLYMV67QYXY6BM/

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    • 30/05/2024 by Nicky Clouston

      Photo credit: Sinead McGirven Photography

  • Thank you 🤩 x

      16 May 2024

    Thank you so much to each and every person who has continued to donate to the page to help the Petrie Family, they are so appreciative of how willing people are to help them through Nic’s treatment.

    On Monday, Nic had spoken about getting family photos, prior to her treatment. I offered to organise someone, and we also talked about getting her hair and makeup done, as a treat.

    A few years ago, I had seen photos from a wedding, I thought were amazing, so with this in mind I sent an email to Sinead of Sinead McGirven Photography, asking if she had any time available before the 20th May.

    At the same time, I reached out to Koren of KP Bridal Hair. I had seen photos, of how talented she was too!

    I was amazed when they both messaged back, saying they would love to help Nic, and neither of these lovely humans expected payment. I was blown away. Koren, and Sinead didn’t know Nic but, both were willing to go out of their way to help her.

    A big thank you too, to Kirsten at Amplified Costemica, who booked Nic and her mum in straight away, even though Kirsten had staff away, and was starting her Maternity Leave. She was amazing, and offered a space for Koren to work also.

    A big shout out for today to Koren, Kirsten and Sinead for being such generous, kind humans.

    Thank you.

    Nicky Clouston

    https://sineadmcgivern.com/

    Sinead McGirven Photgraphy - FB

    KP Bridal Hair - FB

    www.amplifiedcosmetica.co.nz

    Amplified Cosmetica Makeup Artist and Beauty Studio - FB Link

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  • An update from Nic and Nicky x

      14 May 2024

    Hi 👋

    We just wanted ti give you an update on Nic.

    Last week, Nic attended an appointment with an Oncologist at Mercy Hospital.

    From there she has been given an option to receive treatment moving forward. The treatment will begin on the 21st May.

    A message from Nic follows:

    “I am on a combination of drugs called, Folfoxiri - Modified drugs, for 8-16 weeks, they are funded, and then I have an opportunity to take an unfunded BRAF specific drug, called Ceiteximab Encrorafenib.

    This will cost approximately $10-$15k per month, with an estimate of $60-$70k in total. It is not funded in NZ at all.

    This specific drug is to target my aggressive tumour, and will hopefully extend my life. As the BRAF mutation only occurs in 15% of bowel cancers - the Give A Little page will give me a fighting chance”.

    A massive thank you to you all, for continuing to support Nic, and her family. It is so appreciated.

    Thank you,

    Nic Petrie and Nicky Clouston

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  • Thank you for your support. 🌻

      3 May 2024

    Hi 👋

    Thank you so much, to each person who has donated to this page, to help and support Nic since her diagnosis. It means so much.

    Nic and Andrew have been completely overwhelmed by the generosity and support shown to both themselves, and their family, during this challenging and devastating time.

    I will keep you updated in the coming weeks. Nic’s focus in the last eleven days has been recovering from her massive surgery.

    Thank you,

    Nicky Clouston

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