Kate
"I was in Cambodia for work. It was a very hot night, and I literally swept my hand down my body and said out loud, ‘Oh, it's so hot!’ And I felt this lump, It felt like half the size of a golf ball. I thought, I'm not going to be too worried about it, but I emailed my doctor and made an appointment.
They've said all along you're very lucky you caught it early.
I guess there's some people who go through this sort of thing who are not information seekers. But I'm like, ‘tell me everything!’. My oncologist, at our first meeting, said, ‘our job is to take your body to the very edge to kill the cancer. We take you to the edge, knowing that once we stop, the systems that we are affecting will recover.’ So it is scary stuff.
I just asked questions all the time. I'm a pretty cynical person, but I'm so impressed with the quality of care. I was told when I was first diagnosed, you're in the best city in New Zealand for breast cancer care. When you go in for your chemo you are given a nurse for the day, and she looks after you. They're super resilient these women I mean, obviously they have to be.
When I was heading into chemotherapy, I think the vision I had was that it would be a very quiet, somber place. Oh, no! It's like, hi!, hi! Hi! it's bustly, people are laughing. I actually come away from my chemotherapy sessions feeling quite uplifted because the talk's very lively, and there's just this feeling of caring and concern.
I'm at the pointy end of the treatment now, and although I'm only having treatment every three weeks, the drugs that I'm having now are very heavy duty. I'm just holding my head above water with work.
I continue to turn up with full makeup, I'll put earrings on. And my eyebrows, which I draw on fastidiously every morning and sometimes I end up with like Groucho Marx and sometimes I end up looking like Twiggy. It just depends on my mood. People say to me, oh, gosh, she's looking so well. That helps me too because it's a bit of normality in a very abnormal situation.
Perspective is really important. Getting your head out of what might happen, and bringing yourself back to the present is really important. Counseling helps, right? Breast Cancer Foundation and the Cancer Society both fund counselling.
At the beginning, I was trying to be upbeat about it all the time. I'm not now. I acknowledge when I have down days, those are the days when my sister rushes around and gives me a foot massage.
Actually, for the last week, I felt really afraid of dying. Most of the time, I'm not, because I have faith. So it’s just like, I’ve got this job to do this year, which is an absolute shit job. But it will come to an end.
Boy, have I developed as a person and I'll continue to develop right to the end of this journey, whatever that looks like. Because it just forever changes you. Physically and mentally and emotionally. Spiritually. I've got people praying for me all over the world, and I believe that has made a difference."
- Kate
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What's your favourite tomato recipe?
Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.
Warnings about scams
This Fraud Awareness Week, we’re reminding everyone to stay sharp and look out for the warning signs of scams to stop them before they start.
Here’s what to watch out for:
🔍 Unrealistic offers or promises of easy money that are too good to be true
🔍 Pressure tactics: Scammers may rush or threaten you to act immediately.
🔍 Requests for personal info: Be cautious if you’re asked for bank details, passwords, or sensitive information.
🔍 Unusual payment methods like gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers.
🔍 Unverified contacts: Emails, calls, or messages from unknown or suspicious sources.
How to protect yourself:
✅ Stop and think before sharing personal details or making payments.
✅ Don't click on any links until you know that it is safe.
✅ Verify the source: Contact the organisation directly using official channels.
✅ If something’s not right, it's OK to hang up, walk away, ignore it and move on.
If you wish to report a scam, contact Police on 105 or report it online via 105.police.govt.nz/use-105.
Older residents call for Amberley bus service
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A lack of public transport and access to healthcare were among the issues raised in recent a survey of older residents in the Hurunui district.
The Hurunui District Council surveyed residents aged over 60 during August and September, as it looks to develop an age-friendly community plan to support an ageing population.
There are currently no public bus services in Hurunui, which includes the town of Amberley, about 40km north of Christchurch.
Community development facilitator Vanessa Nelmes said public transport is a big issue for many elderly people, while accessing medical care when needed remains a concern.
While there are a number of community vehicle trusts operating in the district, respondents felt a regular bus service from Amberley to Rangiora and/or Christchurch is needed.
Hurunui mayor Marie Black has been among those advocating for a bus service, but for now Environment Canterbury says there are no plans to offer public transport in the district.
The distance to medical care in Christchurch and the lack of a dentist were also mentioned, Nelmes said.
The survey received 213 responses from residents aged from 60 to their 90s, with half coming from residents in the south ward, which includes Amberley.
Nelmes said the survey found a majority of the respondents felt confident using computers, internet and / or smart phones.
‘‘It kind of puts that myth to bed that old people don’t like using technology.
‘‘I think we really do need to change our mindset compared to what is really happening in our community.’’
Although about 50 respondents said they were not confident using technology, showing there was still a need for providing support.
The survey also asked if people would like to improve their skills with technology and it was ‘‘evenly split’’, Nelmes said.
A concerning trend in the survey was a number of respondents who said they felt socially isolated, especially those new to the community, she said.
‘‘We had half a dozen people who replied along the lines, ‘you have to put yourself out there, but it’s how to make the first step’.’’
The survey has been analysed by the age-friendly steering group, which plans to widen its membership to include different agencies such as district nursing and is seeking a rural voice, Nelmes said.
Council staff plan to do a stocktake of services available for senior citizens in the district, before beginning work on a draft age-friendly plan.
Environment Canterbury public transport strategy and planning manager Sonia Pollard said there are no plans to extend bus services into Amberley or the wider Hurunui district.
‘‘The focus for public transport improvements is on delivery of the core routes in Christchurch and the direct services between the main urban areas in Waimakariri and Selwyn districts and Christchurch City.
‘‘Service improvements are reliant on funding through local rates and the National Land Transport Programme.’’
She said routes outside large urban areas are unlikely to meet the funding criteria in the 2024/27 National Land Transport Programme.
But as part of the 2025/26 annual plan staff are considering how to best serve the rural community, including assessing new routes outside the Greater Christchurch boundary.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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