Pāpāmoa resident Maggie Takawe has been on a tough journey battling cancer in the last 18 months. But she has never been alone in her fight.

Along with her husband and two daughters, the Cancer Society has been wrapping support around the 47-year-old from day dot – and is still keeping tabs on her now.

Daffodil Day, coming up on Friday, August 25, is the Cancer Society’s largest fundraising event. Maggie, with only a few extended family residing in New Zealand, has experienced exactly where this fundraising ends up.

Her journey began December 2021. “I felt a lump on my left breast one morning putting on my bra. I thought: ‘Oh, what’s that?’ I showed my workmates – and they said: ‘Go get it check just in case’.”

Maggie, her husband and two daughters, aged 22 and 10, were living in Rotorua. “Christmas was coming, which meant I couldn’t get any bookings. So I had to wait until January.

“I went to see a doctor, had a biopsy and got the result that I cancer in my left breast.”

Shock

Being diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in March 2022 came as quite a shock. “I didn’t know what to do, where to start. But what was good is I was given all this information – including a leaflet for the Cancer Society and a referral to help me through the journey.”

But she didn’t even need to ring the number. “They called me to say: ‘We are the Cancer Society and we are here to help you’. A nurse visited our home, she got my family and I some counselling. And she said: ‘Whatever you need, please just ask’.”

Maggie needed an operation immediately – it was scheduled for March 2022. “Then I found out I was pregnant. So I couldn’t have the operation. The doctors needed to wait until I was past my first trimester.”

Maggie Takawe, third left, with her husband Joji Tawake and daughters Samsara Tiarre Tawake, 10, and Gloria Tawake. 22. Photo: supplied.

One week before the operation, she had a miscarriage. “It was sad...but when I look back I can see it was a blessing in disguise because I could focus on one thing.”

The operation went ahead, but in April Maggie was back in surgery after cancer cells were found in her lymph nodes. “I had the two operations in Rotorua then was transferred to Tauranga, and completed my chemo in November.”

Continuous support

Maggie says the Cancer Society has been by her side throughout her journey, and still supports her to this day. “They provide me with counselling, transport to treatments, massages. Initially they were following up with me every two weeks to see how I was. They also provided meals – they were very supportive and always there if we needed them.”

With limited family in NZ to lean on, Maggie says the society’s wraparound support was a big relief. “Yeah, it was a big relief that’s someone was there to help you whenever you needed – and if I was really down, apart from my husband and my church leaders it was so good to know someone else was there.

“They check on me regularly. They are so helpful – and I am so grateful for the help they provide.”

Maggie had another surgery in January to scrape suspected cancer cells and replace them from her

back, then received radiotherapy in March. “Now I have daily medication and monthly injections and am monitored.”

Amazingly, Maggie went back at work at Tauranga Hospital’s Kowhai House in May. The society? “They still keep tabs on me; and still provide massages and other support.”

Maggie Takawe receiving treatment last year. Photo: supplied.

Give generously

During the last financial year Cancer Society Waikato/Bay of Plenty supportive care nurses provided advice, information, advocacy and support to someone with cancer or their whanau 9442 times.

The region’s volunteers drove 79,732km to ensure cancer patients made it to treatments. More than 1400 people attended Cancer Society supportive care programmes. And Cancer Society Waikato/BOP received 1310 new referrals.

 “My family back home in Fiji asked me how I’m going and I told them about the Cancer Society and that the services they provide in New Zealand are just so good.”

The Cancer Society is not directly government-funded and relies on support from the community to ensure no one faces cancer alone.

Please give generously when you see a street collector this Daffodil Day. Or donate online at: daffodilday.org.nz. And remember – every donation counts!