YEAR IN REVIEW

while Palmerston North mayor Grant Smith said he had heard many stories from frustrated commuters.

NZ Transport Agency central regional director Raewyn Bleakle said trying to do work outside of peak traffic extended the timeframe and fully closing the road to get it done faster was not viable.

Cancer battle comes to an end

Palmerston North woman Kelly Mcnabb lost her 17-month battle with cancer, having survived longer than doctors predicted.

Mcnabb was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in 2014 and given just a year to live.

Her story hit the headlines after she raised more than $100,000 to help pay for treatments not covered by Pharmac.

She presented a case to Pharmac in February for it to fund Avastin, a drug she believed could help others in her situation. While her plea was initially rejected, Pharmac said it would reassess following further studies into its efficacy.

Mcnabb was survived by her husband and two children.

Hartley motors to top spot

Palmerston North racing car driver Brendon Hartley claimed Motorsport New Zealand’s top award and was added to the organisation’s wall of fame, after a stunning year in his sport.

He pipped acclaimed Indycar driver Scott Dixon to the Jim Clark Trophy at the organisation’s annual awards.