Rotorua tourism operator helps to fulfil 13-year-old's bucket list

13-year-old Shenyce Marsden-Roberts was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at the age of 11. Photo/Supplied

Facing a battle with a rare form of cancer Shenyce Marsden-Roberts, 11 at the time, began putting together her bucket list.

Two years on, her mother wants to thank the Rotorua man who helped her tick off all they could.

When Andy Corson from Zorb Rotorua heard about Shenyce and her bucket list he instantly wanted to help.

Shenyce, now 13, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma at the age of 11, when doctors found a 14cm tumour between her ribs and lung.

In December 2016 she had a 9-1/2 hour surgery to have the tumour removed, which her mother Richelle Stables said "felt like a lifetime".

After receiving the all clear in March last year, Shenyce relapsed by October.

"A 4.5cm tumour was found in her lower back, and even though it was smaller, it was 10 times more active," Stables said.

By late April the tumours had spread into her back and around her lungs, becoming unresponsive to treatment.

Doctors stopped chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

"We had to share this with Shenyce, at only 13, that she was palliative," Stables said.

The doctors had given her until Christmas, but she deteriorated rapidly yesterday and was told it might only be two weeks.

"She had already been working on a bucket list and when she gave it to me I said I would do what I could.

"I always thought it wouldn't be possible."

The family, who are from Papamoa, began contacting as many of the places on the list as they could, that's how they met Andy Corson from Zorb Rotorua.

13-year-old Shenyce Marsden-Roberts enjoys cake at the Toi Ohomai bake-off. Photo/Supplied

"Andy was amazing, he really was," Stables said.

"He just got on to so many people and before I knew it I had people contacting me left, right and centre.

"We had people contacting us from around the country saying they'd heard from Andy, he pretty much did it all.

"I couldn't even thank him enough."

Through the help of Corson, Shenyce was able to go zorbing, luging, have a mud bath at Hell's Gate, on the Treetop walk in the Redwood forest, and is booked for even more.

"She's done so many good things," Stables said.

Late last month, Shenyce's health deteriorated and she had been left bedridden.

"They've given us till Christmas, that's why we rushed it to fit in as many things as we could.

Fortunately, the Friday before she made it to Kendrick Lamar, one of the many things on her list.

"She bore the pain and had a blast," Stables said.

"She just had the biggest cheesiest smile, and that's how everybody knows her.

"There are so many people out there that I'd love to thank."

In light of the latest prognosis, which gave her only two weeks to live, Shenyce had decided she wanted her siblings to complete the list in her place.

Zorb Rotorua general manager Andy Corson. Photo/Supplied

Corson was emotional on the phone when the Rotorua Daily Post asked him about Shenyce.

"She was very bubbly and just had a great experience," he said.

He said Shenyce and her family spent five hours going up and down the hill, which may be an all-time record.

"I've been in this job a long time and I know a lot of people and at the end of the day, it doesn't cost us anything.

"It's about creating memories for her and her whānau, they will have these memories to cherish of her."

He said Richelle summed it up best on the day when she said for her how nice it was to just have all her babies having fun.

Some of the things on Shenyce's Bucket List
• Zorb
• Piloting
• Riding in a fire truck
• Riding in a police car
• Soak in a mud bath
• Cake testing
• See Kendrick Lamar
• Bungee jump
• Have a really big family get together
• Meet the Silver Ferns
• Hot air balloon
• Fishing trip
• Visit Cathedral Cove
• Get a tattoo
• Hold a tiger cub

What is rhabdomyosarcoma?
• Childhood rhabdomyosarcoma is a disease in which cancer cells form in muscle tissue.
• Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common type of soft tissue sarcoma in children. It can begin in many places in the body.
• Recent estimates show the incidence of the disease at about 4.5 cases per 1 million children/adolescents.
• It accounts for about 3.5 per cent of cancer cases among children ages 0 to 14.
• There are different types of treatment for patients with childhood rhabdomyosarcoma the standard types are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR