Susan Johnston has an inoperable brain tumour. She talks to the Herald about life, illness and getting married before she dies
The couple racing to get married before cancer claims one of their lives have been donated almost everything they need for the wedding.
In July Susan Johnston, 42, was given just months to live when a tumour the size of a grapefruit was found in her brain. But that didn't put her soulmate Nikita Ringdahl off and instead motivated them to get married - except they had no way to fund it with both of them off work.
"It's both of our dreams to get married," her Ringdahl, 31, told the Herald.
"I want to get that ring on her finger and I want her to be my wife."
Soulmates Susan Johnston and Nikita Ringdahl have been donated almost everything they need for the wedding except wine and food. Photo / Martin Hunter
After the Heraldpublished their story donations have flooded in from around the country and the couple have booked their wedding in for October 1.
"I've had like seven thousand million messages of offers of everything," Ringdahl said.
"I'm just working my way through them. It's an actual wedding wedding now."
The couple, who were originally going to get married in a registry office, have been offered a venue at the Westhaven Gardens, hair and makeup, a photographer, celebrant, florist, flash cars to get them there, and a honeymoon on Great Barrier Island at Shoal Bay Estate. They're going to be flown to Invercargill to be fitted for wedding gowns at Brides By Donna Rae.
"It's been crazy. It's definitely restored our faith in humanity for sure.
"I feel guilty. It's just so many people giving, some we don't even know or people we do know who don't really have money and they are donating anyway. Someone on the Givealittle page said this is all I've got and donated $8."
Susan Johnston (left) with her fiancee Nikita Ringdahl has been given up to 15 months to live after being diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Photo / Martin Hunter
The romance started when Ringdahl lost her cat in an area near Johnston's Waltham home late last year. She posted about it online. After a bit of banter back and forth, the two met up in a cemetery where it was love at first sight.
"The cat was never found but true love was," Ringdahl said.
The couple got engaged early this year and put rings on hire purchase.
But their carefree "honeymoon period" didn't last long before Johnston developed stroke-like symptoms in June. She was disoriented, uncoordinated and had intensely painful headaches. After visiting an after hours clinic they immediately packed her into an ambulance to Christchurch Hospital for an MRI scan.
There they discovered a tumour the size of a grapefruit in her brain. Surgeons split open Johnston's skull to remove the tumour but like "tendrils in a trellis" there was only so much they could take out without damaging her brain.
Johnston is now undergoing radiation, chemotherapy and taking up to 30 pills a day. She will then have a four-week break before starting a double dose of chemotherapy.
A large scar carves around Johnston's skull. She wasn't bothered until a large chunk of her hair fell out last week.
"I had to shave it all off. I was in tears all night. I had shaved it to a number 4 before but this is to the skin. I've got a massive bald patch around where they are radiating me and there's a massive scar from my ear to the top of my head then back down to my neck.
But Ringdahl was supportive: "She's obsessed with her hair but she's rocking the bald look."
Ringdahl has given up her work as a cleaner to care for Johnston fulltime. But it was hard going emotionally and financially. They thought it would only cost a few thousand dollars to fulfil Johnston's last wishes, but with neither of them working it's out of reach by themselves.
"We cry every day. Every single day," Ringdahl said.
"I'm going through anticipatory grief, I'm grieving already because I know it's coming. I can't control it. It's so bad."
Ringdahl's cousin Nick Ringdahl has set up a Givealittle page to help the couple get married and send them on a honeymoon.
"I'd love if we could help these two tick some items off on her bucket list, make memories and most importantly make one of her dreams come true by becoming each other's wives," he wrote.
