“I never thought I’d be a widow at age 49. David was my soul mate; I think of him every day and his untimely death has left a lasting impact on me, and our two children.
I never thought I’d be a widow at age 49
read more
CANGO urges Government: Stop “shrugging your shoulders” at cancer deaths
The Alliance of Cancer NGOs (CANGO) is calling on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to urgently adopt the same hard-line, “zero tolerance” approach to cancer deaths that she is to COVID. “Recently, the Prime Minister made it clear that a principled approach to COVID means...
The Spot Check Van Saved My Life
Aucklander and early childhood teacher Sarah Dixon’s world turned upside down when she was diagnosed earlier this year with melanoma. At just 33, married to Leigh, with a 12-year-old son, she didn’t realise what melanoma was, let alone how serious it could be, until...
Cockies and Tradies Charity Golf Tournament
50-year-old Alexandra resident and local plumber Chris Flannery was diagnosed just before Christmas in 2019 with Stage 4 metastatic melanoma. “I have lived my life outdoors, growing up in a farming community, and playing representative rugby and cricket in my younger...
Family History Increases Your Risk Of Melanoma
Diagnosed with melanoma late last year, 59-year-old Wellingtonian, Andrea Savage recalls holidaying in Kerikeri with her family as a teenager, and getting so sunburnt that she could barely walk. “I got terrible blisters from that particular sunburn, and I remember...
I Am Just So Grateful That I Was In The Right Place At The Right Time
74-year-old Delwyn Hardgrave was waiting for her husband David in the foyer of the Logan Campbell retirement village in Auckland’s Greenlane, when she was approached by Melanoma New Zealand Nurse Educator Gill Rolfe. “Gill had seen a mole on the back of my leg from...
Horrific And Frightening
Vanessa, Lauren’s mum, shares her perspective on how melanoma has impacted her precious daughter and family. “I’m a nurse, and I knew it was serious the night our neighbour, friend and specialist came around and told us that it was melanoma. I had hoped for the best...
I Wasn’t Aware Of Melanoma Until It Affected My Family
Rotorua mum, makeup artist and dairy farm owner, Ceitha Andrews, remembers being taken out of school when she was 13 to visit her dad in the hospital as he’d had surgery for melanoma. “He was only 34, and little did I know then what lay in front of us as a family,”...
Our New Mobile Van Spot Checks More Than 1400 People
Since our Melanoma New Zealand Spot Check van launched earlier this year, it has been travelling to different locations to raise awareness about the signs of melanoma, the importance of early detection, and to provide free spot checks. The van was made possible thanks...
Diagnosed With Melanoma At Just 20 Years Old, Lauren Shares Her Story
Her friends are busy studying, working and planning their futures. However, 20-year-old Lauren is battling Stage 3B melanoma, undergoing immunotherapy treatment to potentially save her life, and says she feels like people don’t really understand how deadly this cancer...