Far North cancer survivors Steve and Valerie Smith urge people to take part in Dry July, a fundraiser to support cancer patients.
Far North cancer survivors Steve and Valerie Smith urge people to take part in Dry July, a fundraiser to support cancer patients.
When you and your spouse have both been diagnosed with cancer, and face having major surgery on the same day, the best way to handle it is to keep your sense of humour and get as much support as possible.
That’s the message from Far North couple Steve and Valerie Smith, who are both now clear of their cancers and urging people to get behind Dry July to help other cancer patients.
More than 7500 Kiwis took a stand against cancer last July by spending 31 days without alcohol and raising over $1.2 million. The Dry July campaign is calling for even more people to join the cause and make a difference in the lives of thousands of New Zealanders living with cancer.
For the Smiths, who are in their 70s and have been together 35 years, Steve was diagnosed with prostate cancer in August 2022, a diagnosis that hit him like a bolt from the blue as he never suspected that he had the big C.
It was hard to deal with the news, but the couple were determined to fight the disease. A few weeks later, in October, Valerie was diagnosed with skin cancer, hitting the couple with a double whammy of bad news.
At the time the couple were managing a motel in Mangōnui, and they had to give up their job as their cancers meant they would need to be away too often getting treatment - ending eight years running the motel - and they moved in with their son Greg. Greg spent three months converting a large garage on his Taipā property to house his parents.
‘’We couldn’t keep the motel going with what we were facing,’’ Valerie said.
They knew they had a long, hard battle ahead of them, but were determined to beat the cancers. Getting the news that they both had cancer was bad enough, but having to give up their home and careers, and rely only on the pension, made it even more unbearable.
‘’When I [got diagnosed] it hit me like a tonne of bricks. I couldn’t believe I had cancer, but it was confirmed after my biopsy,’’ Steve said.
Steve is now urging men to make sure they get their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tested regularly. PSA is a protein produced by normal, as well as malignant, cells of the prostate gland. The PSA test measures the level of PSA in the blood.
Steve’s PSA results were elevated and indicated what might be lurking inside.
“The PSA results can be the big giveaway and it’s important that blokes get their checks regularly,” he said.
Valerie initially didn’t realise that the burn she got on her chest would lead to the skin cancer diagnosis, and the seriousness of the situation only became clear when she was going to the hospital for what was supposed to be a fairly routine procedure.
Steve was booked in for four weeks of radiation in Auckland, and Valerie was going to go with him. But a few days before they headed off the call came through that Valerie had to have the procedure in Whangārei Hospital the same day.
Steve and Valerie Smith say a good sense of humour and plenty of support helped them overcome their cancers
So they changed their plans and dropped Valerie off in Whangārei before Steve headed to Auckland, meaning they both had to go under the scalpel alone.
For Valerie, it started from a burn during cooking when fat spat on her chest. What started as about 5cm in size grew. She went to Whangārei Hospital for what she thought was just a small procedure but actually ended up needing major surgery. She has now a 15cm scar from her neck to her breast.
Valerie was so tight from the scar she couldn’t stand up straight and the couple said that essential to their recovery was specialised physio treatment with a trainer at Pinc & Steel in the Far North.
Candice, the Pinc & Steel physio, massaged out the scar to loosen it and help Valerie get her posture back and introduce some exercise. They have never been able to go back to running the motel, it was all too much.
“It’s been a massive lifestyle change for us as we had to stop running the motel and go and live with our son. Cancer has changed our lives dramatically and if we hadn’t had Candice we would have been lost. And it’s really good.”
As part of his recovery routine, Steve even started doing tai chi - ‘‘who would have thought?”
Valerie said she finds Candice’s weekly sessions absolutely wonderful.
‘’They’ve given me back my balance, stability and agility. The classes are absolutely magic. We have met a great bunch of people. We feel vibrant about life again, and it’s down to the exercises that Candice teaches us in the classes. We look forward to it every week. People tend to be scared of the big ‘C’ and want to run away and hide but you can’t hide when it gets you.”
Steve had already been seeing Pinc & Steel before his diagnosis to treat his back so knew how crucial work with Candice was.
Valerie said it was a shock to find out that what she thought was a fairly routine procedure ended up needing major surgery, but she’s so glad that it was picked up.
But having Steve in Auckland and Valerie in Whangārei added to the stress and worry for the couple, luckily, though, they had great support from their family, friends, the medical staff and cancer support workers.
‘’I knew that Greg would take great care of Valerie so that eased things, and to be honest, I had a good time in Auckland as there’s so much to do there. Having good support is vital and we had so much it really helped,’’ Steve said.
Valerie said what also got the couple through were their strong senses of humour, after all, if you couldn’t have a laugh, what’s the point?
‘’You really need a good sense of humour to help you get through,’’ she said.
‘’It really is something that keeps you going – and if you don’t laugh about things at times then what’s the alternative?’’
Valerie and Steve are now clear of cancer but are putting their support behind Dry July to help raise funds to help other cancer patients go through their treatment journey.
This year, Dry July invites participants to reflect on their “Why” – the reason behind their commitment to going alcohol-free for July. Funds raised through Dry July directly support non-medical services for cancer patients designed to work alongside their treatment and navigate life beyond diagnoses.
Dry July is committed to supporting three cancer charities: Look Good Feel Better, Prostate Cancer Foundation New Zealand and Pinc & Steel Cancer Rehabilitation Foundation. These organisations deliver specific programmes tailored to the needs of cancer patients, their whānau and close networks, thanks to the generosity of Dry July participants.
The impact of Dry July extends beyond the health benefits of those who take part – it provides vital support and rehabilitation programmes to New Zealanders at all stages of their cancer journey. By going alcohol-free for a month, participants also experience personal health benefits, including improved sleep and energy levels.
Registrations for Dry July 2024 are now open and every contribution makes a difference. Visit dryjuly.co.nz to get involved.
For updates, follow Dry July on Facebook, Instagram or X.
