Rotorua GP Dr Nicky Kenny (right) died after a five-year battle with bowel cancer on November 16, 2025. She was married to Brian Kenny (left) and the couple had two children, Emma and Robbie. Photo / Supplied
Rotorua’s Dr Nicky Kenny was a GP, runner, skier, and much-loved wife and mother. After losing her five-year battle to bowel cancer in November, her family have shared how they “made the most of life” before she died.
Dr Nicky Kenny ran a half marathon two weeks before being diagnosed with bowel cancer.
Her symptoms had “come out of nowhere” and she received a Stage 4 diagnosis at Rotorua Hospital in November 2020.
Nicky died on November 16 last year. She was 48.
Her husband, Brian Kenny, said their children, Emma, 12, and Robbie, 10, were her “greatest legacy”.
Brian also wanted to raise awareness about bowel cancer.
“I think her biggest message would just be don’t ignore any symptoms or any weird feelings of pain … go and get it checked out.”
Brian said Nicky initially had “really bad stomach cramps”.
They went to Rotorua Hospital where Nicky was told she was constipated and sent home.
Nicky returned the next day in “horrendous pain”.
She had an operation after doctors thought she had a twisted bowel.
“The surgeon came and told us afterwards that they’d found a tumour.
“Two weeks before that, she ran a half-marathon and ran it under two hours.”
He said her stomach cramps had “come out of nowhere”.
“You can’t really do any early detection … if you’re not getting any symptoms.”
Brian said the surgeon told them “nothing” could stop the cancer growing.
Nicky had surgery to remove the tumour followed by six months of chemotherapy, which initially “worked well”.
In 2023, her cancer returned and she was told her life expectancy was two to three years, Brian said.
“We made the most of life, really. We made as many family memories as we could.”
Brian said she had more chemotherapy, which gave “some good results”.
“It shrunk slightly, but it was just so aggressive, so you’d get one good result and then a few months later, you’d get another scan and find out it wasn’t working.”
Brian said Nicky was “very stoic and just quietly fought away”.
Brian, from Rotorua, said he met Nicky, from England, while she was in New Zealand on her OE. They married in 2009.
They settled in Rotorua, where she worked at Te Ngae Medical Centre, the former Rotovegas Health and, more recently, doing high school clinics.
“Skiing was probably our biggest thing that we loved doing as a family,” Brian said.
The family went to Canada in December 2024, where they enjoyed a white Christmas at a ski-in/ski-out resort.
“When we obviously knew Nic wasn’t going to live a long life … we decided to meet some of her family halfway and do a ski trip, which was incredible.”
Brian said she enjoyed running, mountain biking, and being in the Redwoods.
Emma said they also enjoyed playing “family tennis matches”, camping and doing “halfway trips” to meet Nicky’s family, including in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Their last trip was to Fiji last year.
Brian said between 350 to 400 people attended Nicky’s funeral on November 20 under the shade sails in the Redwoods Forest.
He said Emma “very bravely” spoke about her mother’s passion for the environment.
“I wasn’t sure if I wanted to stand up, but then I didn’t want to regret it if I didn’t,” Emma said.
Brian said Lynmore Primary School students performed a haka as the hearse drove away, with Robbie surprising the family by leading it.
Robbie said his mother greatly cared about the environment, and Emma said she had “reusable everything” including baking paper, muffin cases, and coffee cups.
“She wouldn’t let herself buy a coffee if she forgot her cup,” Brian said.
He, Emma and Robbie were going paddling at the Whanganui River on Saturday after some friends gifted the trip to them as a Christmas present.
“Our local community around here has been incredible, to be honest.”
Bowel Cancer New Zealand chief executive Peter Huskinson said Nicky’s story was an important reminder that bowel cancer increasingly affected younger people and it did not always present with “clear or early warning signs”.
For many, greater awareness of symptoms and access to screening could be lifesaving by detecting bowel cancer “at its earliest, most treatable stage”.
“For others, including Dr Kenny, earlier detection may not be possible – underscoring the importance of continued research, improved access to emerging therapies for advanced bowel cancer, and the development of better diagnostic tools for younger people.”
Huskinson said screening was one of the most effective ways to save lives, particularly for people whose cancers developed slowly and without symptoms.
When caught early, it was “more than 90% curable”.
Thousands of New Zealanders would soon take part in the organisation’s Move Your Butt Challenge, where participants walked 100km in February to honour the 100 people who died from bowel cancer every month and raise funds.
“It’s a simple way for people to show support, raise awareness, and help create a future where fewer families have to face what Nicky’s has.”
Source: Bowel Cancer NZ
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and the Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.