Don’t sweat the small stuff, says survivor
Shona Kelway, 55, describes herself as the perfect breast cancer statistic.
“I’m of that age, I’m Ma¯ ori and I’m overweight.”
The Pukekohe woman was diagnosed three years ago, yet against those odds she managed to beat the disease by opting for treatment as soon as it was detected.
Kelway says, for her, it was about doing everything in her power to make sure she is around to see her children and grandchildren grow up.
But she understands that for some it isn’t that black and white.
“I did a talk to some radiologists about a year ago and we tried to answer why some Ma¯ ori weren’t taking up treatment.”
She said some women found it too time consuming — transport was an issue, poverty was an issue and some felt it was more important to look after the other people in their family.
“Others just felt that they didn’t want to know, they weren’t even getting mammograms and some just didn’t feel like their lives were that important.”
Kelway said it sounded cliched but having breast cancer changed her outlook on life. “I want to live life to the fullest and I try not to get too bogged down in what’s not important. It’s all about being happy and making others around you happy — don’t sweat the small stuff.
“That’s the message we need to get through.” — Emma Russell