Two bouts of breast cancer were poignant for Sarah Hewison whose career has been dedicated to developing and caring for young children.
She recalls being so upset by her second diagnosis in 2016, nine years after her first, that she threw an old canvas picture at a fence because “it felt really unfair”.
Never one to bury her head in the sand, she’s in a Relay for Life (RFL) team called Sandpit Squad with whānau, friends, and some of her Nelson Tasman Kindergartens Kaiako (teachers) to give back to Cancer Society Nelson Tasman.
She rejoices that its support has been an uptick on a journey that is not to be toyed with, from exercise sessions and presentations to its “really amazing” staff and support groups.
In 2024, she even won a new set of wheels in one of its raffles.
“Dumbfounded” by her first diagnosis in 2007 when she was living in Taumarunui in the central North Island, Sarah had ductal carcinoma in situ, an early form of breast cancer, which required a mastectomy on the left side.
“It was pretty big the first time. My husband and I were planning to hold our daughter from going back to school because I wanted to take her on her first day,” she reflects.
“I used to collect donations for breast cancer in Taumarunui, and I remember being part of a group there, and one person said, ‘you don't have anything to worry, you're young’.
“I said, I'm 35 and my surgeon said she's operating on people who are 19 and 20. So it's not an old person's cancer.”
Sarah says she “tracked really well” through the Waikato health system before receiving more devastating news.
“Usually at 10 years, they give you a thumbs up that things are looking good, and I didn't quite make my 10 years,” she says.
“Another cancer was found in the same breast but turned out to be on the chest wall. I had surgery in Rotorua, we moved to Nelson, had chemo in Nelson, and then I went to Christchurch for radiation.
“So, it was a really messy time, not just for me, but for my family and my children.”
Sarah says her cancer has been “treated to the best it can be” but adds “I don't think any cancer survivor knows that you're completely free”.
She now also lives with lymphedema, a side effect of the removal of some lymph nodes during both treatment rounds.
“I have to visit the lymphedema physio every three months to get new sleeves,” she says.
“I also go to a really great osteopath who does support some sort of lymphatic drainage to try and move it round so it doesn't clog and turn into elephantiasis.”
The Sandpit Squad is not only raising funds for Cancer Society Nelson Tasman through RFL, but Sarah also hopes to preach to other local cancer patients and survivors that coming together like children do at a sandpit, is paramount during cancer journeys.
“Reach out to the Cancer Society, you’re not alone, they know all of the things that can help you, all of the places that you can access, and they're a beautiful bunch of people in there who are full of heart and full of care,” she says.
“My family's been awesome, but the support groups are a safe space to talk about everything and to be with people who've gone through it. I want other people to see that there is light.”
Relay For Life takes place at the Richmond A&P Showgrounds from 4pm on Saturday, 14 March to Sunday, 15 March at 8am.
Team registrations close on Friday, 28 February. Visit: nelsontasman.relayforlife.org.nz to register and for more information.
