Support lifts terminally ill mum's spirits

CHEERS: Kirsty Porcer held a morning tea at her Hastings home yesterday to raise money for a second round of experimental cancer treatment in Germany. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR HBT141640-01

Women all over the world are raising money for terminally ill Hastings mum Kirsty Porcer - one sip of tea and slice of cake at a time.

The 42-year-old Hastings woman returned to Hawke's Bay last month after receiving experimental treatment at a German hospital to fight an aggressive form of breast cancer, which had metastasised to her bones.

In 10 days, she will fly back to complete what she hopes will be the final round, over 12 days.

"The doctors decided after the first round that because I had nine different tumours, I would require a second and possibly third round," Kirsty said.

Enjoying more mobility and less pain, she was able to host a morning tea at her home in Hastings, yesterday, to raise extra funds.

"There were 25 ladies who turned out to support me, my girlfriends brought their mothers - once upon a time a tea party was a weekly event. Now it never happens - we dusted off the bone china," she said.

Despite having lost some of her hair, Kirsty was feeling good, and continued with weekly vitamin C injections as well as a sugar-free cancer diet. "I have not been eating those cakes ..."

Seeing the community rally around and work together, helped her to stay positive. "Seeing them making cakes, and organising these events is hugely motivating to me."

A Givealittle account, set up to reach Kirsty's goal of $100,000 had raised $50,557. However $45,000 had been removed to pay for phase one of her treatment. Cake for Kirsty parties had contributed about $3000 so far, with six others still set to take place throughout the globe.

Her mother has also been baking cupcakes and selling them to local businesses, smashing her goal of raising $100 in just two days.

Ahuriri Pharmacy is hosting a Tea and Cake week from Monday to Saturday, where people can drop in any time and pay $5 for a cuppa as well as something sweet.

To make a donation for Kirsty: givealittle.co.nz/cause/webbkiss