A home-grown charity manned by a dedicated team of volunteers has helped ease the pain of a Puni mother grieving the loss of her beloved husband. On February 23 last year, Debra Hawley lost the love of her life. Her husband and partner of 30 years, and the devoted father to his children, Jodi, Alex and Mikaela, died suddenly in the night.

Ross Hawley’s heart simply stopped beating. Tragically, Debra woke to him taking his last breath. Alex, then 14, desperately tried to revive his dad, while Debra frantically dialed emergency services, but there was nothing they could do – Ross, 67, had gone.

On learning of the Hawley family’s terrible loss, the Franklin Silver Lining Trust stepped in to help alleviate some of their grief. The Franklin Silver Lining Trust provides time-out, family respite, grants special wishes and support families in the community facing a wide range of adversities, including losing a loved one. Its gift to the Hawleys was to contribute to their journey to Tonga last year, to visit Ross’ daughter Jodi, who runs a beach resort and whale watching tours on an island with her partner. The holiday brought the Hawley siblings together to grieve. ‘‘It was a huge step forward in their recovery and for that I’m greatly indebted to the trust,’’ Debra said. ‘‘It was amazing and we all felt quite honoured to have been nominated and to have been thought of during this very difficult time. ‘‘To be honest, I have seen and heard the stories of other recipients, who I felt really needed it more than us. I felt very privileged and humbled. So to be nominated was incredible.’’

The trust also sent Debra on a women’s retreat – an escape from her daily routine, which she said was just what the doctor ordered. ‘‘It was so nice to take time out for myself, with like-minded women, in a tranquil environment.’’ Debra said she was proud of how well Alex and Mikaela were finding their way since losing their dad. ‘They are both doing remarkably well. ‘‘The year could have turned to custard, but Ross was such a great dad – he had old school morals, values and inner-strength which he has imparted to them, enabling them to adjust to our new circumstances.’’ Debra credits her strength to a tight group of friends, family and her Christian faith. She’s also kept incredibly busy with the kids’ activities and supporting them, whilst running her own business. ‘‘We are all doing really well,’’ she said, ‘‘and I know Ross would be very proud of us.’’

To describe Sarah and Jared Chisnall’s struggle to ensure their four children get the best possible start in life as ‘tough’, is a true understatement.

Parenting for many can be a day-to-day strain – but the Chisnall’s labour of love is a constant battle. Their eldest child, daughter Lucia 8, suffered severe brain damage as a toddler and now has the cognitive ability of a two year old. And last year, their son Tobin, 4, a twin, was struck down with the same rare auto immune disorder that impacted Lucia so cruelly. Add in to the mix, their healthy children Darci, 6, and Tobin’s twin, Milah, and the Chisnall’s family dynamic is hugely demanding. ‘‘There is no rest, no respite, it can be extremely difficult,’’ Sarah said. ‘‘In the last year or so, it’s just been horrendous, we’ve been really stressed out, and been sick.’’

In desperation for some time out, she approached Pukekohe based Franklin Silver Lining Trust, which provides locals facing adversity with special breaks away. The trust has come to their rescue and gifted the couple a weekend away in Taupo – without the children, precious time alone they both genuinely crave – and physically need. ‘‘It’s just such a relief, and something to look forward to,’’ Sarah said. ‘‘Even just getting the recognition that it’s hard work . . . the trust is amazing, they are local people truly concerned about others in our community.’’

This is the second retreat the Chisnalls have received from the Franklin Silver Lining Trust. The first came after Lucia fell ill in 2010 when a viral infection triggered the rare condition they would discover in Tobin six years later. Acute necrotizing encephalopathy is a genetic disorder where the immune system goes into overdrive, attacking the virus – but also healthy brain cells. In Lucia’s case, the damage to her brain was catastrophic. ‘‘It was severe, 40 per cent of her brain was affected through hemorrhage and inflammation,’’ Sarah said. ‘‘She was nothing, she was just a body, she was blind, she couldn’t eat, she couldn’t move.’’ Today Lucia is active, but, says Sarah, has a low quality of life. ‘‘She has a lot of meltdowns that she can’t control, limited vision, and is like a two to three year old.’’ So rare is her condition, Sarah and Jared have little clue to what their eldest child’s future holds. But they are determined to do what they can to improve her ways of life. ‘‘You can’t give up on your kid.’’

In August last year, Tobin succumbed to the same condition. The twins were in the care of Sarah’s mother while the Chisnalls were on a rare break away in Queenstown. ‘‘Tobin lost consciousness – he went to sleep on the kitchen floor – that’s very strange for a three year-old boy. My mother took him straight to hospital.’’ Sarah and Jared caught the first flight out of Queenstown and when they arrived at Starship, their little boy was fighting for his life in intensive care. Being told it was the same condition as Lucia’s was devastating. ‘‘I don’t know if you’ve ever felt your heart break – but it is just horrible,’’ Sarah said. ‘‘They basically said he was giving them less signs than Lucia had given, and had less chance of survival. ‘‘They took him off the ventilator and they said it would be up to 24 hours and he would go, he would die. Everyone was there. He breathed, and we said we wanted to take him home.’’

Remarkably and against all odds little Tobin fought back from death and started to recover, amazing his family and his medical team. Today, Tobin is almost fully recovered. He can ride a bike, attends kindy, and when he goes to school next year, he won’t need a teacher aid. He is however blind in one eye, and has trouble controlling his emotions – but functions as a ‘normal’ boisterous four year old boy.

The family are immensely thankful for their son’s recovery, but their struggle continues with Lucia’s high needs. They have set up a Give-a-Little page to help fund her expensive medication, medical cannabis, which is contributing to improve their daughter’s quality of life. See givealittle.co.nz/cause/lucia.

Self-confessed fitness freak Frank Ver Heyen had always taken care of his health. A fan of exercise, on the cusp of 60 he had picked up kick boxing, been a keen football coach, never smoked and stayed away from the booze. For a man of his age, even a man 10 years younger, Ver Heyen was in great shape. Yet in May this year, a serious health scare changed the Pukekohe builder’s life dramatically.

On his way from one job to another, Ver Heyen suffered a brain aneurism while behind the wheel of his work ute. He blacked out and crashed into a parked car. ‘‘It happened so quick, there was no sign of what was to come,’’ the grandfather of six said. When he came to, Ver Heyen managed to call 111 and was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery to ease the bleeding on his brain. It was touch and go, but Ver Heyen pulled through – and he credits this to his fitness and physical wellbeing. ‘‘I was told only 20 per cent of people who have an aneurism survive, I was one of the lucky ones.’’

But the road to full recovery has been rough. Ver Heyen’s sight was affected and immediately after surgery, he was completely blind. As the months past, vision has slowly returned, but it’s still not 100 per cent. He is hoping in three months, he will be able see well enough again to re-gain his driver’s licence.

Family has been Ver Heyen’s rock, and he’s indebted to wife Jan for her stoic support and care. A special break gifted by the Franklin Silver Lining Trust has also aided his journey to wellness. The couple received a night away and dinner for two at Castaways resort in Karioitahi as well as massages at Pure Indulgence in Pukekohe. They will take their special break next month. ‘‘We were over the moon to get this (special break), (I) couldn’t believe it,’’ Ver Heyen said. ‘‘Before this, we knew nothing of the (Silver Lining) trust, and now I know it is something the community really needs, to give others a lift, it’s just superb – I can’t speak highly enough of them.’’

Ver Heyen is now focused on the future and has a new outlook for his years ahead. ‘‘There’s a reason I survived this, and I’ve got a whole lot more living to do. I don’t want anybody feeling sorry for me, I made it through this and I want others to know anybody can make, if they look after themselves. That’s the reality, if you look after yourself now, it will make a huge difference.’’

At the tender age of 3, little Kiriana Ronaki has fought battles beyond her years. The courageous tot took on brain cancer – and claimed victory – though her future health can’t be guaranteed until five years post-surgery.

Kiriana’s mum Anna and her dad Kramer, of Onewhero, have been nominated to receive a ‘‘special break’’ from the Franklin Silver Lining Trust, a local charity which provides relief for families facing adversity. Ronaki is hugely grateful for the gift, but for her and Kramer, and their other children, Tutewehiwehi, 4, and Larni, 6, their greatest gift is Kiriana’s health.

The family’s world turned in December 2012. Kiriana had fallen ill, complaining of a sore neck. ‘‘She would hold her neck and wince in pain, she was waking a lot, vomiting and her balance was off,’’ Ronaki recalls. Her symptoms were confusing, and doctors gave various diagnosis – from an inner ear infection to eczema. But Ronaki wasn’t convinced. Her intuition told her it was something else, so she sought help from experts.

On January 17, 2013, scans at Kids First and Auckland Hospitals revealed the worst. On the base of baby Kiriana’s neck was a tumour the size of an orange. ‘‘That was the last thing we were expecting. Life changed, from that day on,’’ Ronaki said. Immediately Kiriana underwent eight hours of surgery to remove the tumour. But a postoperation scan revealed 20 per cent of the tumour remained, so less than a week later Kiriana was forced to endure another surgery. This time, surgeons were successful, but Kiriana’s cancer was of a kind that meant if doctors didn’t start chemotherapy it would grow.

Cruelly, just as Kiriana’s treatment was to begin, she contracted meningitis, and spent 12 days in the hospital’s high-dependency unit. Chemotherapy was physically gruelling for Kiriana’s little body and an ‘‘emotional rollercoaster’’ for her family. ‘‘It was such an emotional time, although we knew the whole way she was going to get through this, the process was horrible,’’ Ronaki said. ‘‘There were many times I just wanted to take my baby and get her out of there. ‘‘But we were keen to get on with it (chemotherapy) because knew what would happen if we didn’t, the tumour would grow back.’’

Focal radiation was the next step, a big call for the family given Kiriana’s young age, but a decision made based on their trust of Kiriana’s oncologist. The radiation lasted five weeks and on its completion in November last year, a MRI scan showed Kiriana to be clear of all cancer. And there were no effects left by the radiation. Doctors now say that Kiriana has a 65 per cent chance of remaining cancer-free within the next five years. ‘‘You have to be confident and positive,’’ Ronaki said. ‘‘When you are in hospital, doctors always give you the worst case scenario, so you learn to be strong, you have to, what choice to you have.’’

Apart from a scar on the back of her head, today there is little sign of the battles Kiriana has faced. She’s an inquisitive, chatty three year- old who looks up to her big brother and sister. And she’s very protective of her beads – all 600 of them – each a token of the many medical procedures she’s endured over the past 18 months. She plays with them on the lounge floor but is careful not to lose any under the couch. Brave Kiriana has earned her beads and they are a colourful reminder to all who know her of this little girl’s courage.

Chloe Cooper’s son Kobe toddles swiftly around the lounge and tries to make a break for the backyard. ‘‘He’s just like his father was, a real outdoorsy boy,’’ said Chloe – who works as a hairdresser in Pukekohe. Chloe’s beloved partner Chad Bryden passed away suddenly in April from undiagnosed stomach cancer – leaving Chloe to raise their 15-month-old son on her own.

Since Chad’s passing, 23-yearold Chloe has been living in Pukekohe with Chad’s mother Barb Bryden – and finding strength through Kobe. ‘‘He’s definitely cheeky like his dad and has his eyes.’’ After hearing of their devastating loss, the Franklin Silver Lining Trust gifted Chloe and Barb a special break. The break included pampering at Pure Indulgence Day Spa and a voucher for Monarch Cafe. ‘‘Monarch is my favourite and I hadn’t been for ages,’’ said Chloe. ‘‘I went for dinner with my friend, so that was really cool.’’

Chloe said it was just after Easter this year, when Chad started to get sick. ‘‘We spent Easter weekend in Whitianga ’cos Chad was the best man at his friend’s wedding. We had a really good time but, as soon as we got back, Chad started getting sick,’’ she said. ‘‘He was complaining of a sore leg and I was trying to convince him to go to the doctor but he didn’t want to. The next day he woke up with chest pains which really freaked him out.’’ So Chloe took Chad to Middlemore Hospital, where doctors discovered he had blood clots and started him on blood-thinning medication. ‘‘He was in hospital a week and he started sort of coming right and was told he could go home,’’ said Chloe. ‘‘I was so excited to pick him up from hospital but he was in a lot of pain on the way home and it was torture. ‘‘He was bleeding inside at the time but we didn’t know.’’ Chad watched a Warriors game on television that night but at 2am he told Chloe he needed an ambulance. ‘‘He was bleeding heavily from everywhere you can,’’ said Chloe. Chad was admitted to Middlemore again, where he was put in the high-dependency unit. He lost his vision and the doctors found out he was bleeding internally. ‘‘He was in another world and kept forgetting where he was but I stayed with him for three days and kept talking to him. He knew I was there,’’ said Chloe. Doctors were still puzzled by Chad’s condition; but as his organs began to fail, he was placed in an induced coma. Chad passed away peacefully in the early hours of April 17. A post-mortem examination showed the 28 year old had stomach cancer.

‘‘When I look back, there were a lot of hints,’’ said Chloe. ‘‘He always complained of a crook stomach and I told him to go the doctors and he’d always say he was all good.’’ Chloe described Chad as a kickback guy who loved the Chiefs, the Warriors and the All Blacks. ‘‘He had a black Mercedes bus, which was his party bus, he had heaps of friends and he loved Kobe.’’ Chad worked for his uncle at Twomey Construction and Chloe said he really enjoyed his job. ‘‘He loved his job like nobody I know. He always looked forward to going to work.’’

Chad and Chloe recently purchased a home in Tuakau and were looking forward to expanding their family. ‘‘Chad wanted five kids. We were planning to have another one soon so that Kobe could have a sibling close to his age.’’ Barb said it was hard to accept her son was really gone. ‘‘He worked in Perth for six years at the mines and now it’s like he’s just gone away for work again. ‘‘I keep expecting him to just walk through the door,’’ she said. ‘‘He was always a good kid. He was so easy going and nothing fazed him. His attitude was ‘it’ll be right’.’’

Barb and Chloe said they were looking forward to being pampered at Pure Indulgence. ‘‘I was surprised to get a special break as there are people more deserving than us,’’ said Barb. ‘‘We would like to thank the Silver Lining Trust very much.’’ Before he passed away, Chad was busy making plans for the duck shooting season.

“Someone has really thought of us and seen how we have struggled. It’s a nice feeling. And it’s really great that the other kids were included. As siblings are often overlooked.” Ali Andrew

Pukekohe solo mum Ali Andrew reckons she’s just that – a mum. But those who know her best, and, of course her kids, believe she is much more – in their eyes, she’s a super mum. Her loving dedication to her four teenage children, in particular special needs son Fergus, saw her recently rewarded and recognized with a Franklin Silver Lining Trust special break.

The family enjoyed courtside seats at a Fastnet netball game and are waiting for the right time to use Ali’s other reward, a weekend away at Port Waikato Top 10 Holiday Park.

‘‘I was so blown away. It was such a generous gift,’’ Ali said. ‘‘Someone has really thought of us and seen how we have struggled. It’s a nice feeling. And it’s really great that the other kids were included. As siblings are often overlooked.’’

Ali is mum to Shane 20, Josh 18, Livi 14, and Fergus, 16. Fergus was born with severe global delays and has the intellectual capacity of a one-year-old. Earlier this year, Fergus entered care with IHC in Papakura. Asking for help to care for her son, was a mammoth task for Ali, who had done the job mostly on her own since his birth. But it was a decision her body and health forced her into making. Fergus needs 24-hour care, and Ali was exhausted. ‘‘Ferg doesn’t know night from day. Some nights he’d wake at 11pm and think it was time to get up for the day. ‘‘It’s a bit like living with a newborn. He can wake up to three times a night and there were some nights I was so exhausted, I didn’t wake when he did. ‘‘I was terrified that he might hurt himself, or even burn down the house. Basically I’ve had 16 years of no sleep. ’’ Ali was so fatigued through broken sleep, she had to close down her business as a landscape gardener. Now, with more time on her hands and settling into a routine of regular sleep, she hopes to soon start work again. But her priority is her children.

‘‘Ferg is happy, really happy. With Ferg, all I have to do is love him, but with the other three, I have to equip them with the skills they need too grow as an adult. ‘‘They are amazing, I’ve always wanted the kids to love Ferg, never to resent him, and they adore him. Their positive attitude has got me through many dark days.’’

Since the Franklin Silver Lining Trust’s inception in 2008, Glenys Webster has been an unwavering supporter of the trust and its work easing the suffering of those in our community facing adversity. It never occurred to her once during her five years associatedwith the trust that she would one day be a recipient of its valued services.

But that all changed in February last year, when Glenys, who co-owns Graceys in Pukekohewith best friend Jo Steele, was diagnosed with breast cancer. A routine mammogram thatmonth had detected a slight shadow on her breast and a biopsy was ordered. But Glenys, then 52, wasn’t too worried. ‘‘I was convinced there was nothing wrong, I’d had manyroutine mammograms before and they were all clear. To be honest it didn’t concern me much at all. This kind of thing – getting sick – doesn’t happen to me.’’

A week after the biopsy, the results were in. Despite being confident that she’d be OK she took a support person with her – Jo – to hear the doctor’s diagnosis. The news was shattering. Glenys, a healthy and fit middleage woman with a robust medical history, had breast cancer. She was shocked – in disbelief. ‘‘Let’s just say the delivery of the diagnosis that day didn’t go down that well at all,’’ Glenys recalls. ‘‘It was awful, I was reeling. Thank goodness Jo was there to take over and take it all in for me.’’

Surgery was advised for early March. A post-surgery autopsy revealed the cancer was aggressive and Glenys was prescribed chemotherapy then radiotherapy. It was a tough time for Glenys, both physically and mentally. But she got through it, and she credits that to family and friends, in particular, daughter Effie, who left her job in Dunedin to be with her,and Jo, ‘‘her rock’’. ‘‘She really stepped up. I couldn’t have done this without the support of Jo – and my group of friends.’’

Glenys is now cancer-free, though she still suffers fatigue and body aches. Now she’s feelingbetter, she’s looking forward to her special break away – courtesy of the Franklin Silver Lining Trust. Glenys is off to Wanaka with four friends, Jo, of course, top of the guest list. She is also re-evaluating her future. Her illness has forced a rethink of what’s important in life,and with Jo’s personal circumstances changing too, the pair are selling Graceys.

Racing down the back straight of Hampton Downs at an adrenaline pumping 250kmh would be a nerve-racking experience for anyone. But in Greg Murphy’s hands, Shaun Vincent felt pretty safe. ‘‘It’s awesome, you certainly know you’re alive when you’re going that fast. It takes you into another level of sensories – it’s surreal,’’ Mr Vincent says.

He was provided the hot lap by the Franklin Silver Lining Trust on Tuesday after he and his family have faced a challenging time. His daughter Nikita was readmitted to hospital with brain cancer in 2009, after two years’ remission and around the same time Mr Vincent was diagnosed with having a mildly aggressive prostate tumour.

Now recovered, he returned to work with the New Zealand Fire Service last month. Ambassador of the Franklin Silver Lining Trust, Greg Murphy, believes it is important to help

those who have had a rough time. ‘‘Not everyone is as fortunate as you. People go through tragic things and to be able to give something back is an amazing feeling. ‘‘Giving someone a ride in a race car and allowing them to feel different for a day is really special. ‘‘Little stuff makes a huge difference in people’s lives.’’

Trustee of the organization Richard Graham agreed. ‘‘It lets them know there’s other people thinking about them. ‘‘Things that might only seem small to us can make a huge difference

to a family that’s going through a tough patch.’’

Firefighter Shaun Vincent works for an organisation that saves lives. And in an ironic but incredibly fortunate twist of fate, Shaun’s employer has saved his life. During a routine health check in 2009 with the New Zealand Fire Service, Shaun, on the cusp of 40, was offered a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) examination – a test to measure a man’s predisposition to prostate cancer. PSA is a protein produced by cells in the prostate gland. Some men with prostate cancer may have high levels of PSA in their blood.

That test proved a life-saver for the Buckland father of three – its results showed alleviated risk levels and catapulted Shaun onto a roster of regular testing to monitor his health.

‘‘Basically I was told at the time that the results were outside the parameters of normal – it wasn’t a diagnosis, but it meant they would keep a close eye on me.’’ Test continued over the next few years and in mid-2012, Shaun’s PSA level jumped and his doctors and specialists were concerned.

Despite Shaun not suffering any symptoms, his urologist insisted on specific testing and Shaun underwent a transperineal biopsy, a procedure in which a sample of tissue is removed from the prostate for examination. The results were gut-wrenching, Shaun was diagnosed as having a mildly aggressive tumour. Surgery to remove the prostate was his only option.

For the Vincent family, the timing could not have been more cruel. Shaun and wife Maree’s eldest child, daughter Nikita, 17, had just been re-admitted to hospital with brain cancer, which had returned after two years’ remission. ‘‘I was so gutted at the timing,’’ Shaun said. ‘‘The biggest thing for me was they (doctors) were going to take me out of the loop as a support person for my family which was already going through so much with Nikita. ‘‘Since the first PSA, I had an understanding my prostate was going to give me trouble, I had an inkling and yes it was scary, but the timing was particularly cruel.’’

Shaun’s surgery went ahead on January 29 and to the huge relief of his family, his friends and his work colleagues, it was a success. The entire cancer was removed and Shaun did not require radiotherapy. His recovery has been swift and last week Shaun returned to work and a new challenge of training with the New Zealand Urban Search and Rescue team.

The family is also hopeful of Nikita winning her fight against cancer – she is nearing the end of her treatment. During his ordeal, Shaun said he was supported greatly by family, friends, his employer and workmates – but none more than is wife Maree. He is also grateful to the Franklin Silver Lining Trust which has shown unwavering generosity during Nikita’s and his own journey with cancer. In 2010, the trust provided Maree and Shaun with a luxury campervan to tour the North Island and more recently the family was treated to a limo ride and Maree a pamper session. ‘‘Franklin Silver Lining Trust personifies what makes small towns across New Zealand great,’’ Shaun said. ‘‘We are so fortunate to have such a charity which is specific to local families and non discriminate – it’s open to everyone. ‘‘We are just average people, with three kids, and yes, we would have survived without the limo ride. But we loved it. Why shouldn’t a mainstream family going through tough times be giving something out of the ordinary? ‘‘And it’s self perpetuating – at some stage now I would like to do something for the Franklin Silver Lining Trust.’’

The New Zealand Fire Service provides PSA testing for all staff when they turn 40 and the national screening age for PSA is New Zealand is 50. Shaun said that if he had waited till he turned 50, it would have been too late. He would be dead. For this reason, he would like to see the screening age dropped to 40.

Reon Graham still forgets things once in a while, and admits he’s still in recovery mode. ‘‘The doctors said it would be like that for a few months,’’ said his wife Steph. During his interview with the Franklin County News, he asked for one question to be repeated, not bad for a man who lost his short-term memory for 12 days.

On April 26, the Patumahoe premier rugby coach collapsed during Thursday night training and suffered a cardiac arrest. The arrest would have left him with a wafer-thin chance of survival if it wasn’t for a handy defibrillator at the neighbouring fire station. ‘‘They say without a defibrillator you have less than a 5 per cent chance of surviving,’’ Reon said. Reon has Brett Muirson, a volunteer fireman, and manager of the Patumahoe premier reserves to thank for fetching the lifesaving equipment so quickly.

The cardiac arrest happened out of the blue and doctors still aren’t sure what caused it. A second blessing came with coach and policeman Danny Hodson being on the scene, who had just completed a police refresher course earlier that day and had re-learned emergency resuscitation procedures. His rugby squad and others gave Reon shocks at the scene, then an ambulance took him to Middlemore Hospital, where he was shocked twice again. It was 18 minutes before he was breathing properly.

‘‘I’ve definitely been given a second bite,’’ the coach said. Steph said her husband had no memory of the whole day. ‘‘He got up that morning and went to work and everything was normal, then he went to rugby training. ‘‘The boys said he was just jogging with them and they thought he’d just tripped over and fallen on the ground.’’ Reon spent a day and a half in coma, while doctors warned his wife and three daughters, Marisa, Bailee and Mia, he may never be the same. ‘‘They were concerned about brain damage. They said he’ll either wake up and ask what happened at training, or he’ll wake up and his memory will be a bit muddled, or he won’t wake up,’’ Steph said. She said when he did wake up on the Saturday, it was like a scene from the film 50 First Dates, as his short-term memory would only last about 10 minutes for the first 12 days of his recovery. ‘‘We ended up putting signs around the room telling him what happened,’’ she said. Reon’s memory gradually improved, though he lost 8kg in hospital and has been away from his job as a sales director at EMI Music for almost three months. Open-heart surgery in May gave him a mechanical heart valve and a defibrillator in his chest so if an arrest happens again, he’ll automatically get a shock.

The children, and Marisa’s fiancee Jonny Wilkinson, who lives with the Grahams have been strong throughout the

ordeal, Steph said. ‘‘He had tubes all over him and ice all around his head. For the girls to see their dad like that was pretty awful.’’ So it was a happy day when Franklin Silver Lining Trust called and offered the couple an evening at Castaways in Karioitahi Beach, though after memory loss and six weeks in hospital, Reon admitted his wife appreciated a break the most. ‘‘I had only been out of hospital about a week but I wanted to do it for Steph because she had been doing everything on her own. While I was laying in a hospital bed she had to make sure the family was still running.’’ The couple were given dinner at Agave, a night’s accommodation and a breakfast; all taken care of by the trust. They also have a massage to enjoy once Reon can lay on his stomach. ‘‘We’ve been to Franklin Silver Lining Trust fundraisers before. You go along and support it but you never think it will happen to you.’’ ‘‘You don’t ever think you’ll be a recipient,’’ added Steph.

The couple have been overwhelmed by support and said they’d love to name each person who helped save Reon on April 26, as well as those who have provided food, love and encouragement. ‘‘The support has been unreal – we want to thank everybody but we don’t want to miss anybody out.’’

Courageous young mother of three Sonja Mravicich has been granted a much-welcomed reprieve from her battle with breast cancer.

The Franklin Silver Lining Trust has awarded Sonja, of Pukekohe, with a special break – a night away from the worries and stress of ill health at an Auckland hotel. ‘‘I was blown away,’’ said Sonja, on hearing of her break. ‘‘It’s really lovely and it will be so nice to get away for a night.’’

Sonja is recovering from breast cancer, having her final dose of radiation last Tuesday. Chemotherapy concluded in April, five months after Sonja’s life-changing double mastectomy.

She is now, she said, on the slow road to recovery and tests over the next year will reveal if the treatment has been successful in completely eliminating the cancer. She’s taking it day by day, her immediate goal is to feel well enough to spend more time ‘‘being a mum’’ and get back to work, part-time at first, at the pre-school business she launched before she fell ill.

Sonja, now 36, was diagnosed with breast cancer in October last year. During self examination months before, she had detected a small lump, the size and texture of a frozen pea. Sonja assumed it was a blocked milk duct from feeding her youngest son. It wasn’t until the lump increased in size and began to cause pain that she sought medical attention. ‘‘I went to the medical centre and they referred me to the super clinic and I was diagnosed within three hours. It was all so very quick,’’ she said. ‘‘It was complete disbelief. I couldn’t believe what they were saying.’’ Sonja was told she needed surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, and depending on the tumour’s type, continous drug therapy.

Telling her sons was tough, but because her diagnosis was in October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the boys had some familiarity with breast cancer. ‘‘A lot of the information was there in front of them and I chose to keep things simple. I told them I was sick and doctors were going to take my breasts away to help me get better.’’

After her surgery, Sonja began arduous chemotherapy which caused her hair to fall out. She expected it to happen and had cut her long blonde hair into a bob style to help her prepare but the experience was heart wrenching. ‘‘I cried and cried and cried. I felt like I had lost part of my identity because your hair reflects so much of your personality.’’ When Franklin County News saw Sonja last week, her hair was growing back, slowly but fast enough for her to notice and hope the worst was over.

Sonja is indebted to her support network of friends, her ‘‘wonderful’’ medical team and most of all her beloved mother Pat for giving her the strength and courage to cope with treatment over the past six months and help look after her boys. ‘‘Throughout the whole experience I knew I had to beat this, I simply had no choice. I’ve got three young kids; losing this fight was never an option.’’

Sonja now is urging all women to self examine regularly and if they detect a lump, don’t ignore it, seek medical attention immediately.