She has been "through the works," needing a total of five operations, chemotherapy and radiation therapy treatment.
It was tough, she said, especially halfway through her chemotherapy treatment. "You're on this terrible conveyor belt you can't get off. You're in survival mode.
"The biggest side effect of chemotherapy is the fatigue."
That was when her nurse introduced her to the Pinc & Steel Trust, which offers individualised physiotherapy sessions to help people recover following cancer treatment.
After her first session she felt she "was chasing life again".
"I just went from strength to strength after that."
Today's Napier Port Paddle for Hope is a fundraising event to help the region's cancer sufferers access the Pinc & Steel and Paddle On cancer rehabilitation programmes.
Three of the world's leading stand-up paddleboard riders, Connor Baxter and Zane Schweitzer, from Maui in Hawaii, and Sean Poynter, from Florida, will be sharing their skills at Pandora Pond.
They will be taking stand-up paddle (SUP) workshops, relay racing and "have-a-go" sessions for all ages.
Event organiser of the event Rachel Ward has a goal of raising $20,000.
"Every $300 we raise will fund the physical rehabilitation of one local person affected by cancer."
The Napier SUP festival day will be the first staged in the region in the wake of the successful Starboard Paddle For Hope event held in Auckland last year and which raised about $87,000 for cancer rehabilitation.
Beginners can join the Starboard Dream team between 10am and 12pm today.
Mrs Vanderspeck is right behind the event. "We want to be more than just survivors, we want to live well again."
