Taupō mum fighting cancer gets Good Sort boost

Harcourts have awarded their Good Sort Mother of the Year. (Left to right): Nominator Ellie-Jane Alker, Harcourts' Mary-Louise Johns, Good Sort Karis Anderson and Taupō Mayor David Trewavas.

A local mum who is battling stage four bowel cancer received a morale boost ahead of Mother’s Day.

The Taupō solo mum received a special Good Sort Mother of the Year award from the team at Harcourts last week.

Being a working single mum is a tough enough road for anybody, but Karis Anderson is doing it all alongside chemotherapy and other treatments for her cancer, which has spread from her bowel to her liver and lymph nodes.

The 32-year-old is a solo mum to Arlo, five, who is a typical, energetic Kiwi kid.

This meant that many of Anderson’s weekends were spent either sitting at the sidelines of a rugby match or “running around with my chemo pump still attached”, she said.

Making sure that Arlo wasn’t affected by her diagnosis was important to her.

“We try to keep everything normal.”

Karis is a proud mum to five-year-old Arlo.

Harcourts Taupō's Mary-Louise Johns said the team welcomed a different kind of recipient for this month’s Good Sort award.

“Normally, it’s somebody that has done something for our community. This month is special because it’s Mother’s Day month, and Karis has been nominated as our Mother of the Year.

“Karis is out at every single sporting event for Arlo, no matter how freezing cold it is.”

Ellie-Jane Alker, who nominated Anderson, has been her friend since the pair were 18 years old. Alker said that she was an easy choice for the award.

“Karis is raising that little boy on her own.

“I think she’s an absolutely incredible woman and very deserving of this award.”

Anderson said while there had been many challenges that came from being a solo parent fighting cancer, it had also shown the importance of family support.

Her own mum Leanne Anderson had been vital in helping her raise her son.

“She’s been like more than a grandma to Arlo, like a second mum.”

“She’s been the rock of the family.”

Karis’s sister Bailey said that their mum had been a constant, positive presence for them.

“Karis is a great mother because she has a great mum.”