#projectkickbutt

To anyone that is lucky enough to call themselves friends or family of April, it’s time to fill you in on where she's at, and ask for some help.

To anyone that doesn’t know April, but is part of her wider community, we need your help too.

Read her story below, and get to know her. Pay it forward and help a truly deserving and beautiful person out.

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT

April was diagnosed with Stage Four Bowel Cancer in August 2014. She's spent the last two and a half years doing everything she can to fight it.

This has involved several rounds of chemo (a total of 12 months), nine operations, and numerous hospital visits, MRIs, CT scans and blood tests.

April has the most amazing sense of humour, and throughout all of this, her gorgeous smile has never left her face.

AN UTTERLY AMAZING PERSON

We’ve all been astounded by the incredible attitude she has had throughout this. She’s an absolute inspiration. April is much more than cancer, and has never let this illness define her, or get in the way of anything that counts.

First and foremost, she is a true friend to many, a sister, a loving Aunty and a much loved daughter.

She is also a very talented and ambitious User Experience Designer in advertising.

Incredibly, she has worked the entire way through this ordeal, pausing only for hospital visits.

TIME TO HELP HER OUT

We can only express our admiration at her courage and will-power. However, her energy isn't unlimited, and it's right now that we all can - and should - offer our help so she can focus a little less on the everyday practicalities of the illness, and a little more on healing instead.

BUILDING A BATHROOM AND WHEELCHAIR ACCESS

All funds raised will be used to pay for the building of a new bathroom with special facilities, and wheelchair access to April's house. She lives up a number of steep stairs which would be impossible to navigate in a wheelchair.

Martin Goulden Builders Limited have generously agreed to donate labour costs towards this and have already started the job.

Allied Concrete have kindly supplied concrete for the path at cost.

Precision Group Ltd have donated labour and some of the key bathroom products.

The Wellington Fireplace Limited have built and organised the installation of the bathroom to provide wheelchair access. They too have generously donated products and time to the project.

It is a big job though, with other contractors and the cost of materials making it come in at $8.5k - $10k – so every dollar counts!

The building of the bathroom and wheelchair access is such a seemingly straightforward thing, but it could be such a huge help for April and her family. Check out the images of the stairs in the Gallery tab above to see the huge job that needs to be done to create a ramp so she can simply gain access to her house.

The best and easiest thing you can do is make a donation right here, then share this page with your friends and family on social media and encourage them to donate too.

No donation is too small, as every dollar we raise is another dollar her family doesn't have to find. Please just donate what you can, and if you have any wealthy mates let them know, because April really is a deserving cause.

If you're really keen you can also set up your own Give a Little fundraising page attached to this one, and get yourself sponsored to help her out. You could go on a run, shave your head or anything you can think of to get sponsors. Get creative and let's generate some cash!

HERE'S APRIL'S STORY IN HER OWN WORDS:

In August 2014, life changed completely. I was diagnosed with Stage Four Bowel Cancer. It simply started with having a sore back and not being able to keep up with my dad while out for our usual 5km run on the weekend. From there my back deteriorated drastically to the point where I went to so many different doctors and specialists to try and get fixed.

Nothing seemed to work, so my GP just continued to increase the pain medication and I started to become a walking zombie. Months went by, till it got so bad I could hardly breath or function like a human. I asked my GP for a blood test at this stage. On Monday I had the blood test, and it came back that I was extremely anaemic. The GP was concerned by the blood test results, so organised a CT scan for Tuesday and by Wednesday I was diagnosed with cancer. The scan indicated that I had bowel cancer, but that it had spread to my back. Hence the sore back. The cancer had basically broken my back. Things were so severe that on Thursday I started radiation immediately. And by Friday I was admitted into hospital as I had started bleeding.

Radiation worked a treat, as it reduced the cancer and helped with the pain. I was thankful that the pain that was making me feel like a zombie was gone. Once that was completed and I had recovered, I did six months of chemo.

When I originally got diagnosed it was always Stage Four Bowel Cancer – not the best stage to find, as it meant the cancer had spread. However in the tests and scans that I'd had, they'd all come back with good results. My doctors almost couldn’t believe how or why I was doing so well. All they would say was keep doing what you’re doing.

On Dec 21, 2016, I had blood tests that indicated that I was doing so well that my doctor had to double check that it was actually my blood test! So I get the thumbs up, and off on holiday I went to Brisbane. Within 5 mins of being in my sister’s house in Brisbane I fell and smashed my face. My legs turned to jelly and I just fell flat on my face.

As you do, I made the most of the holiday, but just in a different way than anticipated. I had to be wheeled around in a wheelchair, as my legs just didn’t work the same.

Once I came back to Wellington I had a few tests including an MRI. The results weren’t what we all wanted to hear. Things were back with a vengeance and well, to put it bluntly, it means that in the very near future I won't be able to walk or have the use of my arms. The cancer in my back is pushing against my spinal cord and pushing it to one side. This is the reason why I fell in Brisbane.

It all seems so surreal. I have limited options that don't have optimal results ie doing chemo again or going under surgery - all which require down time and recovery. But also they don't have a definite cure or actual extended timeframe attached. I'm taking the time now to think about what next, what I should do and what it all means.

Thankfully I’m not in crazy amounts of pain. I have my pain management under control. I am on steroids to keep my legs and arms working as long as possible. The steroids help with the swelling around my spinal cord and neck. However there are heaps of side effects like my swollen body and face, feeling anxious and crazy hunger to name a few.

But I will take those side effects to walk like an 80 year old any day. On the drugs I’m able to very slowly walk around in very small distances. Long distances I have to go in a wheelchair or use a walking frame.

Neither the doctor nor I know how long the steroids are going to work or how fast the cancer is going to be.

There’s really no timeframe. So I’m living every moment as it’s precious. I have exceeded expectations so far so I am just going to do the same again.