Laura Webster

We are hosting a Pink Ribbon Breakfast for the nine women diagnosed with breast cancer each day in New Zealand.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Kiwi women. 1 in 9 women will be diagnosed with it in their lifetime. And 650 women in Aotearoa die from the disease every year.

That’s why we are hosting a Pink Ribbon Breakfast this year, to help change that.

Please donate to raise funds for life-saving education, life-changing patient support and ground-breaking medical research. And bring us closer to a day when there are zero deaths from breast cancer.

Three of us were diagnosed within 6 months of each other at the Sollys Takaka Office.

Here are our stories.

Annie's Story

I found a lump in August 2023 and didn’t think much of it as I couldn’t feel it standing up only when I lied down, Had the doctors appointment Mammogram and CT scans, Found out it was Cancerous and will need a lumpectomy and radiation treatment, I had surgery at the end of August and at my two week post-op they said they didn’t get it all and I would need a Mastectomy, chemo and radiation, My second surgery was in September and I had about 8 weeks for recovery before I started Chemo in December, I had 8 rounds of chemo 1 every three weeks finished in May 2024, my body had to recover before I could start radiation I spent three weeks in Christchurch at there awesome Cancer house for my 15 rounds of radiation. I am now on Tamoxifen for 5 years. I was fortunate enough to have a fantastic support crew and amazing bosses who let me take extended leave so I could focus on my fight and return to work once I had recovered. I believe the most effective way of spreading awareness is by conversation.

Thank you   Merv, Ed, Karen Burnett and Ann McNabb for all your support through this journey. It was truly appreciated.

Karen's Story

I was diagnosed with breast cancer following a routine mammogram in December 2023 that was overdue.  I feel lucky that it was overdue, as they may not have picked up on it when it was due as my lump was small, but would have been much bigger when the next mammogram was due. My surgery consisted of a hookwire guided lumpectomy and the surgery was in January.  Margins were clear and they removed three lymph nodes. I had 2 weeks of radiation in March at St Georges in Christchurch and developed lymphoedema in by breast and cording in my arm which is ongoing.  I have physio and do daily massage with Kawa Kawa balm and exercises.  I elected not to take Tamoxifen and have had a hair test and am working with a naturopath to increase my immunity and lower oestrogen as my cancer was oestrogen fed.  Sollys have been so supportive of me through the whole process.  No matter how difficult it was for them to find someone to cover, my health was the most important thing.  A standing joke by the men is that they have never talked about women’s breasts so much in the workplace!  The truth is, they all have sisters, daughters, wives, mothers and aunts that breast cancer may affect.  They also genuinely care.  Thanks Team Sollys!

Laura's Story

I decided to check myself once Annie and Karen had both been diagnosed, not thinking in a million years I would find anything. I found a small lump and thought I was being paranoid and waited 2 months to book an appointment with the nurse practitioner. Even though she couldn't feel anything, she sent me for a mammogram 'just to be safe'.  It turned out that the small lump I could feel was nothing, but there was something suspicious close by and a biopsy was done straight away.  I was diagnosed on the 28^th March 2024 and had surgery on the 16^th May.  My surgery consisted of a hookwire guided lumpectomy. Margins were tested while I was still under general anaesthetic and they hadn’t got it all, so further tissue was taken until they were satisfied that they had clear margins. I had 2 weeks of radiation in July, the Cancer Society provided me and my family a lovely room at the Canterbury Cancer Centre, so we used the opportunity to have a family holiday at the same time.  I developed radiation fibrosis after radiation and now have 2 weekly physiotherapy sessions with lymphatic drainage massage, along with scar therapy to relieve the pain.  All of this treatment is covered. Things could have been a lot worse and I'm grateful that it was detected early. The money raised for the Breast Cancer Foundation is used to fund education, research and patient support.  The team at Sollys have been so supportive throughout this whole process and I'm really thankful for that :) So let's raise some money together for a great cause.