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Tegan's (Chicken) chasing a grand slam victory against Stage 4 Bowel Cancer + Lynch Syndrome

  • Christmas miracles (via a lot of hard work + fight)

      16 December 2020
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    At the beginning of the year it was unclear if Tegan (Chicken) would make it to her 27th Birthday. But with a blink of the eye, well OK, more more like 3 big surgeries, 12 rounds of chemo, several covid-19 lockdowns, 100s of bloodtests, steroids' + drugs, countless scans + cameras, pricks, pokes and tests, here we are. Just 2 days out 27, 9 days out from Christmas + almost a year gone by.

    And I am so delighted to share some news. Tegan scored a home run at her first game back at softball on Saturday! ;-) Just three weeks post chemo and still with her port in. She led her team to a 10-2 win.

    But of course my delight is not limited to softball. We have even more amazing news to share for our Christmas miracle. Tegan has just been given clearance from oncology + a referral for her port to be taken out. Most amazingly she has been told to go and live her life!

    Firstly we would like to say a massive thank you to the 1000s of supporters who have donated, brought raffles, helped Tegan out, contacted her, shared her story, been there for support. Without the emotional and financial generosity given to her by family, friends and total strangers we would not have made it this far!

    What's next is Tegan is she will go "under surveillance", starting with an annual colonoscopy in January, followed by a CT scan in June. Blood tests carry on monthly and the Doctors will play it by ear. For now Keytruda is on hold. Its a miracle drug that once you start, you need to continue, so it has been left in the cancer weapons arsenal for the future. We all have our fingers crossed that it is not going to be needed, but hope that if it is, our government will have funding in place by then.

    So for now it's time to reset, regroup, keep surviving and play more Softball! 😍

    With the new year shining upon us full of hope and the dream that treatment is going to be a thing of the past, we will finish this page in January. Please make sure you like Chicken's page on Facebook to stay up to date with her progress: https://www.facebook.com/tegansfight

    MERRY CHRISTMAS! THANK YOU + F**K CANCER.

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    • 16/12/2020 by Gordon and Dianne

      That is very positive news, Tegan. Keep up the fight and may your Christmas be WONDERFUL and your future bright. Sending love from Dianne and Gordon.

  • Public funded chemo x 7 rounds

      28 August 2020
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    Tegan (Chicken) being Auckland based has been resting up in level 3 lockdown following her liver surgery so we haven’t seen much of her lately. But today at 4 weeks post op she is venturing out all guns blazing to chemo! This times rounds are in the public system, yay!

    The plan is a further seven treatments as a clean up scenario to catch any microscopic cancer cells lingering. They will try a lower dose to start with + hope to see a reduction in the side effects.

    Fingers crossed this will be her last leg but Drs will see how her body reacts post chemo before deciding on the future.

    A huge thank you to everyone who has supported her this far, physically, mentally and financially. Your continued love and support really blows us all away!

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  • Liver and Lymph success

      28 July 2020
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    Our Chicken is no chicken! Here she is rocking her latest trophey that she got from her successful sugery today.

    Thanks to your amazing donations, during lockdown Tegan was able to access not only chemotherapy but the unfunded drugs Avastin and Folfox. This drug combination has as hoped, nailed the tumours.

    So the surgeon who was initially worried about removing the cancerous lymph behind the main Aorta managed to find it straight away + take it out in full.

    For the liver there was a slight change in plan + it just only needed to be heat treated and part removal. Success!

    There will be a bit of recovery to go, followed by more chemo but Tegan is on the right path.

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  • Lockdown + the unseen impact of COVID-19

      29 May 2020
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    Chicken’s update

    My friends, my family, my supporters, you are the reason my journey keeps ticking along! Your support, buying my raffles, your donations, all continue to give me life. Thank you!

    With lockdown we hit a bump in the road on my treatment path. It’s important to me to be transparent on how funds raised get spent, so here is what we have been up to.

    Two days before NZ’s COVID-19 lockdown my medical team decided to attempt standard chemo alongside Avastin (another unfunded drug). As my Bowel Cancer has matastised to my Liver there was huge potential for it to travel elsewhere. So it was decided to shrink the remaining tumours before trying surgery to remove them, while also attempting to stop the spread.

    I was added to the public health system waitlist which up to now it had been amazing. First for a Portacath insertion in my chest (min. 3-4 week wait), followed by a (hopefully) little wait to start chemo.

    But two days into lockdown my medical team warned me that things could be pushed further back as the seriousness of COVID-19 began to increase. They were worried, I was worried. We started to see in the media how it was having an effect.

    We were left with the scary thought of being left behind in the system. Waiting weeks, if not months to start treatment was terrifying because we don’t know what no treatment would do to my body. We don’t know if I have time to wait. So I was referred to private to get cost options.

    I spent countless hours speaking to Courtney, my loved ones, the medical professionals, all trying to figure the best road to take. Wait and hope for the best, or follow medical advice but pay for private.

    I made the painstaking decision to go private. Things moved fast. I got my port in within 4 days! And have now completed four rounds of chemo. Starting treatment in lockdown meant Courtney could care for me at home without having to take time off work.

    But as we know time has a cost. The raffles + fundraisers so far we have raised over $5000! My kiwisaver has helped too (thankfully I was able to get that out). With this and your amazing support of me, it made that all possible.

    Private Costs:

    27.3.20 Port Installation $6,700

    1.4.20 Chemo & Avastin #1 $6,526.66

    14.4.20 Chemo & Avastin #2 $6,588.41

    29.4.20 Chemo & Avastin #3 $6,561.74

    13.5.20 Chemo & Avastin #4 $6,526.74

    With appointments added in there at a few hundred a hit, medication so far and my other medical costs, to date we are sitting at a whopping $33,662.81 spent.

    The whole covid situation really threw a spanner in the works! If I hadn’t of chosen this path I may have only just had my port installed + if lucky just had one round of chemo. The unfunded drug I am currently on is hopefully going to be my saving grace! I will be transferring to the public health system soon to continue chemo treatments but will still have to have my Avastin privately.

    I have a pet scan next Tuesday (publically) + another chemo treatment on Wednesday. My results from this pet scan will be able to tell me if i’m ready for liver surgery or need to continue chemo.

    A huge thank you to everyone for being so amazing & supporting me with my fight. You are all appreciated!

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  • Good Sorts, Ambassador + Lynch Syndrome Day

      22 March 2020
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    Today is Lynch Syndrome Awareness Day. We proudly announce that the Bowel Cancer Foundation Trust NZ have selected Chicken as their newest Ambassador. Find out about Lynch Syndrome below.

    And tonight Chicken featured on TV1’s Good Sorts of the week. Tirelessly coaching and managing our softball team even after the diagnosis + while receiving treatment, Chicken really did take it for the team. We are so proud of her + wouldn’t be without her. Watch the story in the link below.

    Lynch Syndrome is a genetic condition that runs in families and is due to inherited mutations that affect the gene that corrects mistakes in our genes to stop us from getting cancer.

    This hereditary condition increases patients risk of bowel cancer by up to 50% and are generally those who develop bowel cancer under the age of 50 years old.

    Tegan is pushing for awareness around Lynch Syndrome and is urging people to be more vigilant with their health.

    "Those little niggles you have, you can't just ignore them."

    She urges others – especially young people – to be more accepting of the need to visit a doctor.

    To find out more about Lynch Syndrome, click below

    https://www.bowelcancerfoundation.org.nz/single-post/2017/12/05/What-is-Lynch-Syndrome

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  • PET Scan + Softball results

      11 March 2020
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    Tegan caught up with her surgeon yesterday for her PET scan results. They have confirmed the shadow on the liver is more cancer. So more surgery to come in the next couple of weeks.

    This scan also checked the suspected infected lymph nodes across her body + they have found right behind the main blood supply which runs to her heart, a big ole cancerous lymph node. With this sitting directly behind this main blood supply, it'll make it tricky to remove, so when in for the liver they will check it out + will attempt to take that aswell!

    If they get in there + it’s TOO risky, we will be relying on Keytruda to completely wipe it out, or at least get it to the point it is safer to remove with surgery.

    From Chicken "I’m feeling good + positive, just ready to smash out this fundraising + get myself into the position where I know I can just say I’m ready. I need to start Keytruda ASAP! That’s all from me today have a grand day!"

    Softball Results:

    Tegan's Waitakere Bears Softball team Bad News Bears won the Auckland Division 2 Woman's final in the weekend. And despite not having clearance from the Dr's, Chicken threw herself in as catcher. She did not complain once + gave a stellar performance. Thankfully her post softball check with the surgical team found great results with the healing so far + YES she got in trouble for playing softball. But they checked her for hernias + she passed the test. So it was worth it for the win!

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  • The cost of a terminal life

      3 March 2020
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    Chicken has made an amazing recovery from the surgery to remove the tumour from her bowel. The scars are healing + the positive smile has not left her face. She’s made a return to coaching, bringing home a win with our softball team in the weekend.

    But thats where the good news stops. Lynch Syndrome is now 100% confirmed. This syndrome means her body doesn’t recognise cancer cells, so chemo wont work + is now not an option.

    Instead Tegan needs needs the drug Keytruda. Keytruda is an immunotherapy treatment & will work alongside her own immune system to fight the cancers. But Keytruda is an unfunded drug.

    Here’s the kick in the guts. Basically in the eyes of the public health system Tegan is terminal. So her life now has a cost. She is looking at $112k year.

    Message from Chicken: “I’m not one to put my hand out, but i need shares, I need everyone to know my face, friends & family I NEED HELP!

    Please help me get this message as wide as possible! If you don’t have a small amount to donate, please just give me a share 😊“

    And please sign the petition to the government for funding of Keytruda https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/petitions/document/PET_91080/petition-of-malcolm-mulholland-for-patient-voice-aotearoa

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  • Home sweet home

      14 February 2020
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    Following a successful surgery to remove Nigel the tumour + his lymph node mates, Chicken is home. Thank you all for your continued support and messages. Time for rest before the chemo begins.

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  • One sleep until surgery, batter up

      6 February 2020
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    Less than 24 hours until the first surgery. Tomorrow is D day for the removal of the tumour “Nigel No Mates”. Work has stopped + the battle for life will begin.

    We sit here nervous for you, with it constantly on our minds. So we can only imagine how Chicken (Tegan) + her family feel right now.

    But she is brave, confident, stubborn and positive. The perfect combination for the win. Time to bat it out of the park Chicken! You’ve got this.

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  • A thank you message from Chicken

      27 January 2020

    I am absolutely overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity people have shown me so far! Friends, family & strangers doing what they can to help me & my family through this tough time. If I haven’t thanked you personally yet, it is coming. Slowly making my way through everyone who has donated to tell you how truly grateful I am! A BIG thank you to my family who is by my side every step & got me to Christchurch for the weekend to spend some time with 95% of my tribe. And a massive thank you to my darling Courtney for being there for me, putting up with my s**t & being a trooper through my smartass comments & inappropriate sense of humour.

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  • 21st January 2020 The News from Chicken

      22 January 2020
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    Chicken's news:

    "Prepare yourselves i’m about to drop a bomb, get it over & done with in one go... so here goes! bare with me, not a quick & easy story.

    A week ago today my life was perfect. My family & loved ones are healthy, i was healthy, i’m with the absolute love of my life & everything is going so well.

    until Wednesday hit and the world around me came crashing down.

    Had to have a yuck procedure to be pulled aside to be told at the age of 26 i have bowel cancer. with a 4cm Tumor in my large intestine. & that’s all we knew and knew we’d be spending a lot of time at the hospital.

    Had an appointment with my surgical team this morning. really lovely group of people and my surgeon is very blunt but that’s good. Not the outcome we wanted...

    Stage 4 bowel cancer, teetering on curable but they are confident we have a little bit of time. I've been diagnosed with lynch syndrome which is a genetic abnormality that causes heaps of different kinds of cancer not normally until 40's but here we are...

    Also there is a spot on my liver that needs to be investigated more... I have been referred for an MRI for that & have an appointment with the anesthetist on Tuesday to prepare for surgery. surgery will be within the next 6 weeks & possibly next Friday provided they have the cancellation they think might happen.

    1st step is surgery to remove the tumor in my bowel & all the surrounding lymph nodes as they should be smaller than 1cm & they are 4cm, 3-4 weeks recovery for that & then 3 months of chemo.

    once that is done we move to my liver. which will be liver surgery 3-4 weeks recovery & another 3 months of chemo.

    Still in a good head space and just need to stay positive. & all the support we can get will be amazing cause it’s gonna get tough but we got this.

    Even though my life & everyone’s lives around me has been turned upside down i have the greatest people around me & my rock Courtney right by my side. & my amazing family has really stepped up & done some truly kind things for us. my Hollier tribe is incredible. & my friends that are more like family, you guys are all my MVPS"

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