Tauranga firm distraught and shocked at former employee's cancer diagnosis

New mum Rebecca Hyndman holds her son Ben. She has been told she has possibly just months to live but has been donated almost $80,000.

A former Tauranga woman has been reminded of the good in the world after she was donated almost $80,000. Rebecca Hyndman was given the news of her aggressive and possibly incurable cancer just weeks after giving birth to her first son.

Ms Hyndman tried for three years for a baby, but since his birth in November she was told she may have less time than that to live.

Ms Hyndman's son Ben was born almost three years after Ms Hyndman and her husband started trying for a baby, but just after his birth she found a lump in her stomach, which was found to be a gastric tumour.

She had thought the cancer signs of lingering nausea and lack of appetite were morning sickness.

Ms Hyndman said her newborn son, "is just a joy".

"He's a smiley, happy feeding machine.

"He's just beautiful," Ms Hyndman said.

"He looks like his dad, which is good because he's very good-looking," Ms Hyndman said.

Mount Maunganui business Village PR had previously employed Ms Hyndman as an account director.

Village PR director Bridgette Tapsell, speaking from a remote area north of Dunedin, said the team at Village PR were "distraught and shocked" when they found out the news.

"She's a very special person," Ms Tapsell said.

"Everyone who meets Bex loves her."

She spent two years living and working in the Bay, before moving up to Auckland last year.

"She's one of us," Ms Tapsell said.

"She's seriously intelligent, wicked fun and a person with a lot of aroha to give."

Ms Tapsell said she and her team had encouraged their networks to donate generously to Ms Hyndman's Givealittle page.

Ms Hyndman said one of her greatest fears was to leave "her two special people, my son and my husband" in financial strife.

This was one of the reasons why Ms Hyndman's good friend Anna Seccombe created the Givealittle page for the family on Boxing Day.

"Her goal was to be able to give Ben and Jeff some financial stability once I'm gone," Ms Hyndman said.

Ms Hyndman was "humbled and overwhelmed" with the response.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would get that much," she said.

She did not think it would even get to $5000, but the funds raised through the page were sitting at $79,830 as the Bay of Plenty Times went to press.

"I can now shut my eyes at night and not worry about it," Ms Hyndman said.

"The impact and relief and peace of mind it gives me when I have another battle to fight."

Ms Hyndman said her son is "blissfully unaware" of what was going on, but her husband had been incredibly supportive.

"My husband is a tower of strength. He just keeps my head up," she said.

She is currently in North Shore Hospital undergoing treatment.

Ms Hyndman said the Givealittle response and support she has received has left her speechless.

"I think one of the really important things is that all my life I have tried to be a good person, to have manners and to be kind and thoughtful and put others first, and the amount of generosity and beautiful giving I have seen in the last 48 hours has reminded me there is good in the world. If you're a good person, good things can come back to you when you need them most," Ms Hyndman said.