Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Premium
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty cancer survivor share's message of hope for those on the same road

Leah Tebbutt
By Leah Tebbutt
Multimedia Journalist·Bay of Plenty Times·
27 Aug, 2020 09:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Don Morris believes life is what you make of it, ahead of Daffodil Day.

Scheduled on a morning when Don Morris isn't running, Leah Tebbutt sits down with the cancer survivor ahead of Daffodil Day. He shares the hard moments in the hope that others will realise they are part and parcel of the journey.

"Every day is a good day, some are just better than others."

For Don Morris, it is as simple as that.

And he knows because, as I learn, he's had quite a few "not very good" days in the mix.

He watched his best friend take his last breath against adrenal cancer, lost his parents in the space of a month, was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the same time, fought it, got told it was terminal, fought it some more, won. Then had his prostate removed just to top it off.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

While there is a lot to sulk about in that list, Morris tells me it's a positive mindset that is important in hard times.

"You know life is designed to be enjoyed, it's fun to live in, it's not for the dead."

But there was one moment in 2015 when Morris, an avid runner, was not so cheerful.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He knew something was slightly off and alerted his doctor at his annual check-up. Six months later and after several tests, he was told it was bowel cancer causing havoc.

"You're just numb," Morris said, recalling the moment he heard the word cancer.

Discover more

New Zealand

81-year-old tells the story behind his major cannabis-growing operation

31 Jul 05:00 PM

Tauranga raises $23k for cancer through Dry July

03 Aug 04:55 AM

'Nothing you can do': Bay man's fears over cancer treatment wait times

18 Aug 07:00 PM

'Enormous deficit': Bay of Plenty DHB blows the budget

25 Aug 03:49 PM

"I stayed at home from work, crashed on the floor, put on Tool, turned it right up, and I just laid there and said 'right take me away'."

Don Morris believes anxieties and depression is all part of the journey, but life is what you make it. Photo / George Novak
Don Morris believes anxieties and depression is all part of the journey, but life is what you make it. Photo / George Novak

But it wasn't long until Morris snapped back, fighting to live.

The cancer was on his bowel and his liver. Two operations and two rounds of chemotherapy later, it had spread to his lungs.

With the news his doctors couldn't do anything more, Morris and his wife decided to move to Tauranga, with the notion that if he was going to die, he wanted to be near family.

But a new doctor took a punt on Morris, and a further two surgeries saw him with slightly smaller but healthier lungs - and cancer-free.

The realisation of how precious each day is hit Don when his twin granddaughters were born this year. Photo / George Novak
The realisation of how precious each day is hit Don when his twin granddaughters were born this year. Photo / George Novak

And just when I thought that was impressive, Morris defies it, explaining after 18 months and half a lung down, he ran a half marathon.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It's a mindset. We all know our days are up - we know from the day we're born we're going to die.

"Some of us have a long life, some of that very short life, but it's what you do with it, to me, is the key in life."

Morris is by no means alone in his journey. Last year there were 1511 new cancer registrations in the Bay of Plenty District Health Board region.

With demand for services increasing, Waikato and Bay of Plenty chief executive Shelley Campbell said the need for the Cancer Society was greater than ever.

"Every dollar raised will not only help provide free support for people with cancer and their whānau, but also allow us to fund vital cancer research and deliver health promotion activities to reduce the risk of cancer for future generations."

Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times

Baywide rugby: Whaka look to break 19-year drought

Bay of Plenty Times

Netball: Magic narrowly lose to Pulse after scores still tied in final minutes

Bay of Plenty Times

Revealed: ‘Major milestone’ for education system announced by Government 


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Baywide rugby: Whaka look to break 19-year drought
Bay of Plenty Times

Baywide rugby: Whaka look to break 19-year drought

Whakarewarewa beat Greerton Marist 25-17 to reach the Baywide final.

14 Jul 05:17 AM
Netball: Magic narrowly lose to Pulse after scores still tied in final minutes
Bay of Plenty Times

Netball: Magic narrowly lose to Pulse after scores still tied in final minutes

14 Jul 04:28 AM
Revealed: ‘Major milestone’ for education system announced by Government 
Bay of Plenty Times

Revealed: ‘Major milestone’ for education system announced by Government 

14 Jul 04:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP