‘I just want to help people’
Inspirational cancer patient begins university after raising money for others.
AKiwi teen who is inspiring people around the world as she battles terminal cancer has begun university studies.
Eva McGauley, 18, this month started a Bachelor of Arts majoring in political science at Victoria University.
While undergoing treatment the inspirational teen raised $65,000 for initiatives to combat sexual violence and supporting those impacted by such crimes.
She had long had an interest in politics, McGauley said. “I want to help people.”
“I’m loving it. I’m feeling very lucky that they let me in. I didn’t do any NCEA. I only did 10 years of school and then I got sick.”
At 15 McGauley was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer, a rare type of head and neck cancer.
She had intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy and was told she was in remission. But she then learned the cancer had spread to her hip and a lymph node in her chest and the disease was terminal.
McGauley recently returned from a treasured holiday to her father’s home town in Ireland, and to the United States where she attended an exhibition in New York as one of the subjects of the book 200 Women: Who Will Change the Way You See the World.
The book profiles influential women including conservationist Jane Goodall and author Margaret Atwood.
In America, McGauley was invited to meet feminist icon Gloria Steinem at her New York home. They talked for a couple of hours.
“It was one of those conversations where you come away feeling a lot of hope for the world. It left [me] feeling very empowered and happy and hopeful.”
She then met family in London and Wicklow, south of Dublin, where her dad grew up.
“I hadn’t seen my grandmother in 12 years, or my grandfather. It was amazing,” she said.
During her three-week holiday with her mother, however, she began to feel pain.
Tests showed tumours had formed on the right side of her torso.
“I had to have radiation to the area that the tumours were. Luckily they have shrunk.”
She spent a week in hospital and three weeks in a hospice to recover. She is now back home and pain-free.
Since being diagnosed with cancer, McGauley has bravely fought the disease while using her time to make make a difference.
She set up the charity Eva’s Wish with the aim of stopping sexual violence and supporting survivors, and raised money for sexual abuse assistance foundation HELP Auckland.
Earlier this year, Safe to Talk was launched, a government-run sexual harm helpline McGauley helped create.
McGauley said she draws strength to keep going by doing the things she loves.
“[And] what’s
Locking yourself being sad, that’s option for me.”
I’m feeling very lucky that they let me in. Eva McGauley
the alternative? away and just never been an