‘Those who come out the other side of a cancer battle are not survivors – they’re warriors, as are those who didn’t make it’

Chrissie Dawkins came up with a novel number plate, “MANAWV”, to help raise money towards fighting cancer.

After her son’s recent cancer diagnosis, a Whangārei mother and “Cancer Warrior” herself, has come up with a unique way to help raise money towards fighting the battle. She shares her idea with Jodi Bryant.

To Chrissie Dawkins, those who come out the other side of a cancer battle are not survivors – they’re warriors, as are those who didn’t make it. And, in the wake of the Warriors hype, she’s invented a novel number plate “MANAWV” to help raise money toward fighting the disease she once battled herself and now her 26-year-old son is facing.

She explains: “Over the years, I have spoken at many breast cancer events to help raise money. Everyone’s journey is so individual and personal to them and their family. Whenever I speak at events, I explain that, for me personally, I don’t use the term survivor’. I feel it doesn’t do justice to the battle faced. Are those that don’t win the battle losers … Did they fail?

“I truly believe we are all warriors and have spoken those words for years. Cancer Warriors ... regardless of the outcome.”

Chrissie was 35 with three young children – Scott and twins Wil and Maggie - when diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. Over the following year, she underwent a partial mastectomy, chemo therapy and radiation. Almost 20 years later, her son Wil, was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma, aged just 25.

Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, which includes the lymph nodes and is part of the body’s germ and disease-fighting immune system. Hodgkin lymphoma begins when healthy cells in the lymphatic system change and grow out of control.

Chrissie and husband Graeme Quensell and their family are huge Warriors fans.

Chrissie, 54, was about to leave for a trip to Bali last month to spend some time with a friend who is unwell, when Wil showed her a cluster of lumps he’d found on his clavicle, his collarbone.

“I thought that his glands were up and that he might have an infection of some sort but he felt well. We’d just been telling him how well he looked!” says the former nurse and Tru You business owner.

While she was in Bali, unbeknown to Chrissie, more lumps appeared and, this time, were painful so Wil went to White Cross from where he was sent straight to hospital for tests.

“I didn’t know about any of that until near the end of my stay in Bali and then they rang to say that he had been referred to a haematologist/oncologist at the Jim Carney Cancer Centre. Then I just couldn’t wait to get home.”

Meanwhile, Wil took it all in his stride, although the biggest shock was seeing the scan results where it was estimated around two years’ worth of lymphoma had formed.

Labelled ‘Unfavourable’ Hodgkin Lymphoma, the most aggressive chemo route was chosen because of Wil’s age and stage. He began his second round of chemo this week on his and Maggie’s 26th birthday. The treatment knocked him and he was admitted to hospital that night with severe side-effects.

Tests also turned up an issue with his heart and that, combined with the aggressive chemo, means he’s not allowed to be left alone so he and girlfriend Maddie are staying with Maggie in Auckland while he undergoes treatment. Wil is two-thirds through an apprenticeship and both his and Maddie’s workplaces have been “amazingly supportive”, says Chrissie.

“He’s been coping really well. I think the first three days of chemo were super-overwhelming because he was going into it really positively and none of us had any idea of how huge it is. It’s not till you get in there and are sitting in a room with other people that you realise. He’s been surprised by the amount of young people – his age and younger - in there with him.

“This week has been a rough journey for him but he said there’s always next year’s birthday.

“Having had cancer myself at 35, and being a nurse, I’m really aware of the journey he has ahead, and very grateful how fast the hospitals, both Whangārei and Auckland, have been.”

It was while browsing for a Tru You number plate that Chrissie started trying different combo number plates to see what else was available.

A Warriors fan, she and her family have a group chat where they post photos of themselves kitted out in the shirts before each game and where they keep a running commentary throughout the game. With the season in full swing, she started looking at personalised Warriors plates and keyed in ‘MANAWV’. She was surprised to find it available.

The mana wave is believed to have originated from road workers entertaining fatigued motorists as they drove by following the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle. It is performed by throwing up one’s arm and waving their fingers. A uniquely Kiwi greeting, it is said to throw out inspiration and good vibes when greeting others and became the greeting of choice for Kiwi athletes in Paris at the recent Olympic games.

“The MANAWV plate was still ticking through my mind a couple of days later and I wondered if I could possibly use it to raise some money. ‘Mana’ itself is a word and means strength. So, I woke up one morning the other week, went online and and ordered the number plate, solely with the aim to raise some money for Cancer Warriors. Although the exclusive plate is now secured, it cannot be obtained without the vehicle details, and this is pending the new owner. But that’s where Chrissie is looking for help to further her idea.

“As you can imagine, life is pretty busy with this going on and between working and travelling to Auckland so any ideas of how to raise money from the plate, whether that’s an auction … would be appreciated.”

Readers can go to her Tru You website www.truyou.nz and click on the “Cancer Warriors” blog for further information.

“My own cancer journey made my view on life totally different and the things I used to place importance on, really aren’t and the things I took for granted, really are, like spending quality time with the ones you love.

“I just want everyone to remember that we only get one life and my experience taught me not to sweat the small stuff and to forgive easily, to try not to let anger live in us because it is a cause of stress and just to love each other and make sure we tell the ones we love often because you never know what’s around the corner.”