Cancer survivor Joshua Coleman volunteers for the Child Cancer Foundation's national street collection every year. Photo / Andrew Warner
Cancer survivor Joshua Coleman volunteers for the Child Cancer Foundation's national street collection every year. Photo / Andrew Warner
In the past six years, Rotorua cancer survivor Joshua Coleman has gained a full-time job and his restricted driver’s licence. It’s a big achievement for the 24-year-old, who was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 7 and still struggles with the delayed effects of radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Megan Wilson reports.
Joshua Coleman’s “beads of courage” necklace loops several times around his neck – a visual representation of his long childhood cancer journey.
Each of the estimated 1200 beads has a meaning – white beads, for example, signified a round of chemotherapy while yellow marked a night in hospital, his mother Donna Bloore told the Rotorua Daily Post.
The beads were supplied by the Child Cancer Foundation and he would wear them during fundraising events.
Coleman, who at 24 has been cancer-free almost 12 years, had urgent surgery in 2007 to remove a brain tumour the size of a small lemon, but was left unable to walk, talk, or even hold his head up.
Last week, Bloore said Coleman experienced short-term memory loss and body aches due to the delayed effects of radiation and chemotherapy.
But that had not stopped him from gaining his restricted driver’s licence and a full-time grocery assistant job at New World Westend, where he had worked for six years.
Joshua Coleman pictured in 2014. Photo / Stephen Parker
Lasting radiation and chemotherapy struggle
Bloore said Coleman had “weakness” on the left side of his body, which caused balancing issues and was due to where the brain tumour “the size of a small lemon” had been.
She said he was also deaf in one ear as a result of the surgery.
Bloore said the delayed effects of chemotherapy and radiation included short-term memory loss and body aches.
Her son needed testosterone injections every three months and took “thyroid function tablets” daily.
Donna Bloore, Stephen Coleman, Joshua Coleman and Mike Coleman pictured in 2018. Photo / Ben Fraser
Bloore said he also got blood tests every three months.
“He’s just got stronger over the years. He still struggles a lot but he makes the best of what he can do.
“To be able to have a driver’s licence and a job – that’s good.”
Coleman said his future goals included getting his full driver’s licence and potentially an outdoor job.
On March 8 and 9, Coleman will be setting up a table at his workplace to collect donations for the Child Cancer Foundation’s annual street appeal.
His mum will be doing the same at Countdown on Fenton St.
“We try to give back as much as we can,” said Bloore, who co-ordinates the appeal locally and looks after the foundation’s charity boxes.
She said the foundation was not government-funded and donations would help local families “going through the same that we went through”.
The foundation was seeking volunteers to help collect donations.
“Every week this year, three Kiwi families will be told the heartbreaking news that their child has cancer,” foundation’s chief executive Monica Briggs said in a media release.
“These families rely on the generosity of their fellow Kiwis to receive the vital emotional and practical support they need during the toughest time in their lives.”
The foundation was supporting about 1100 families nationwide.
“It’s a lot of fun, and every dollar you collect will make a real difference for Kiwi families impacted by childhood cancer,” Briggs said.
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.
