It was the small things, the smiles that helped. I started to spend some time in the dining room with other patients and their families. We’d chat, get cooking tips from each other or watch TV.
Stephanie
I was bleeding heavily, and a scan revealed I had stage 3 cervical cancer. When they told the me the news the world stopped for a second. One minute I was one person and the next I was a completely different person. I could hear the doctor talking, but I wasn’t listening. I was thinking ‘but I have two teenagers to raise’.
We live in Kerikeri but my treatment was in Auckland. I had to brave chemo and radiation basically alone as my husband had to work and the kids had school.
I stayed at Cancer Society’s Domain Lodge for seven weeks. When I walked in I couldn’t believe my luck - it didn’t feel like a hospital or have that hospital smell. It was so homely.
At first I was a recluse. I was sick most of the time, so I’d go to treatment and then back to bed. If it weren’t for the staff at Domain Lodge, I would’ve gone home.
It was the small things, the smiles that helped. I started to spend some time in the dining room with other patients and their families. We’d chat, get cooking tips from each other or watch TV.
Two days before Christmas, my husband and kids were able to join me. Having them there made the last few weeks easier. I was feeling horrible from the chemotherapy but as soon as they got there my self-confidence rose.
I’m deeply thankful to the Cancer Society and Domain lodge for making my treatment and recovery so much easier.
30 Stories for 30 Years
In 2020 the Cancer Society celebrated the 30th anniversary of Daffodil Day.
It also marked a 30 year relationship with ANZ as the Principal Sponsor of Daffodil Day. We want to thank the team at ANZ for their amazing support.
To acknowledge this we found 30+ people to tell their story. These stories talk about the generosity of everyday New Zealanders making a difference for people with cancer. They talk about the effect of cancer on people and on whānau, they talk about hope, and they talk about the work we do here at the Cancer Society.
