Now 15, Rihanna received another blow when three months ago, she learned she had lung cancer. The former Hastings Girls' High School student left school in June.
"I just couldn't handle it any more, all the sympathy and the questions.
"It's normal for a 15-year-old to go to school, but not with cancer."
She said that was one of the hardest things - just wanting to be "normal".
Rihanna feels she cannot walk down the street without being thought of as "that girl with cancer". However, she refuses to let it define who she is.
"I tell myself this isn't my life, it's just an obstacle."
Rihanna writes lyrics and loves to sing as it expresses her feelings.
"People tell me it's all going to be fine when they don't really know if that's true.
"It's so easy to be sad but hard to be happy."
Rihanna started an art class on Tuesday as she loves to create.
She said her friends and family have been a huge source of strength and support throughout her illness.
Rihanna will marshal during this weekend's Mitre10 Mega Walk to raise funds for Hawke's Bay CanTeen.
Hawke's Bay CanTeen member services youth worker Kerrie Waby is in her third year helping organise the walk, which is the organisation's biggest fundraiser of the year.
"We are hoping to raise $20,000 this year so I really encourage the community to take the plunge."
She was hopeful that with a fine day forecast for Sunday, community members would rally for the cause.
