Killarney Jeffares' dreams of spending her final months surrounded by her Australian-based whānau are closer to reality.
Hawke's Bay Today reporter Gianina Schwanecke chats to Killarney
Killarney Jeffares' dreams of spending her final months surrounded by her Australian-based whānau are one step closer to reality, with one of her three overseas-based children now home.
It's been a difficult journey to this point for the Flaxmere whānau.
The former teacher and grandmother of 17 was first diagnosedwith bowel cancer in 2017 and was given just a few months to live.
During surgery to have the tumour, along with parts of her bowel removed, it was discovered she had been misdiagnosed and instead had ovarian cancer.
She underwent several treatments but in June this year was given the difficult news she had a few months left.
Flaxmere woman Killarney Jeffares is looking forward to Christmas with her most of her whānau, after being given a terminal cancer diagnosis. Photo / Paul Taylor
While Killarney has been supported by her family throughout this process, three of her five children faced an uphill battle to return from their homes in Queensland, Australia.
Flights from outback Australia with the added costs of MIQ and getting a room in the much in demand isolation facilities led the family to start a Givealittle page, which raised close to $15,000.
"I can't believe how many people have reached out to us," she said.
"It's been amazing. Those funds have made such a difference."
With 17 grandchildren, Flaxmere woman Killarney Jeffares is grateful for support from her community to make sure she can spend time with her whānau before she passes. Photo / Paul Taylor
Her third daughter, Vanessa, arrived in October, along with her three children and spent two weeks in MIQ.
Her son David and second eldest daughter Amber are still in Australia but working through their return and hope to get here by mid-January ahead of her birthday on the 22nd, which she shares with her daughter.
"I don't know what it will look like yet but that will be a really special day."
Since the arrival of her daughter and three grandchildren - baby Theo, six-year-old Avery Belle and 10-year-old Roman - she's felt "refreshed".
She said she can't even imagine how she'll feel when the others arrive.
"I can't wait for the rest of them to come."
Killarney Jeffares has felt refreshed since her daughter Vanessa and three mokopuna arrived from Australia in October - she can't wait for her other two children to return. Photo / Paul Taylor
She has good and bad days but is making the most of the time she has with her whānau.
