Josie Horua - Rotorua mum raising funds for Child Cancer Foundation in memory of her late daughter
Photos of baby Hazel McLean are displayed gallery style across the main walls of Josie Horua’s home.
Hazel’s beaming smile and deep brown eyes watch over her mother as she sits with one foot under her leg in a beige puffer vest on her couch.
But the grief of losing her seven-and-a-half-month daughter to cancer is raw for the 33-year-old Rotorua woman. Tears flood her eyes as she talks about her.
Josie is keeping the memory of her daughter alive by walking 10 kilometres this Saturday to raise funds for the Child Cancer Foundation and Starship Oncology ward. Monday would be Hazel’s first birthday.
The former early childhood teacher’s dream of becoming a mother came true on September 4 last year when Hazel was born.
Doctors found a lump and a tumour in her right arm and Hazel was diagnosed six weeks later with malignant rhabdoid cancer at Rotorua Hospital.
The rare childhood tumour commonly starts in the kidneys but also can occur elsewhere. In general, they are aggressive and difficult to treat.
“It happened just so fast [and] all of a sudden. It’s an aggressive type of cancer,” says Josie.
After the diagnosis, Josie says there were lots of trips to Starship Children’s Hospital and she was not able to work. It was hard to maintain her home and pay the bills.
Both of Josie’s parents died before her daughter was born. Her mother died from ovarian cancer six years ago.
Josie Horua with her daughter Hazel McLean. Photo / Ngareta Creative
The hospital became a “second home” for herself and her daughter during the weeks when Hazel received one course of chemotherapy.
Hazel was “just so amazing through it all.”
“She was so strong. She stayed her happy bubbly Hazel self,” Josie says.
“She was the happiest little baby. If you weren’t her mum, you wouldn’t know something was wrong.”
Josie, who was an early childhood teacher for eight years, says she has not been able to return to work since her daughter’s death.
Josie is grateful to the Child Cancer Foundation for supporting her and funds raised at Walk 4 Hazel for the foundation and Starship would help other families experiencing child cancer.
“These families need extra help.”
September is Child Cancer Awareness Month and Josie has already raised $5000 for the two charities with support from friends, family and Rotorua businesses.
“I didn’t have a figure in mind, I just knew whatever amount of money I would make each dollar count.”
She asked local Rotorua businesses to promote the cause and says she has been heartened by the support in the community.
Walk 4 Hazel will be held on September 2.
A Child Cancer Foundation spokesperson says the organisation provides vital one-to-one support to whānau impacted by childhood cancer in New Zealand.
“The funds raised from Walk 4 Hazel will help ensure that we are able to continue providing personalised emotional, practical, social and financial support to these families every step of the way through the toughest time in their lives.
“We are so grateful for Josie’s incredible selflessness and generosity, as well as that of the individuals and businesses who have supported Walk 4 Hazel.”
Starship Foundation chief executive Jo Simon says it invests in research, technology, equipment and impact programmes to help make the Starship experience better for children and their families.
Recently, donations had allowed it to invest in an expansion and upgrade of New Zealand’s only dedicated Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Starship, as well as many different research projects and Starship’s National Air Ambulance, which flies seriously ill children from anywhere in the country to Starship for specialist care.
“A Walk 4 Hazel donation will improve the lives of countless children and their whānau, and will help us provide world-class treatment, care and facilities for the very sickest of our nation’s children,” Simon says.
“We are very grateful to receive such a generous donation in memory of Hazel.”
Josie Horua with her baby daughter Hazel McLean. Photo / Ngareta Creative
Walk 4 Hazel is this Saturday, September 2, starting at 10am from the start of the Kawaha Point track on Point Rd, Rotorua. Donations can be made until September 8.
All proceeds will go to the New Zealand Child Cancer Foundation and Starship Hospital Oncology Award.
“These are two amazing organisations that I hold close to my heart, who helped give Hazel their best care and medical attention during her journey,” says Josie.
“Without these two amazing teams, my Hazel wouldn’t have lasted as long as she did. Every bit of me is so so grateful.”
