'You can lie down and die or just keep living'

The last year-and-a-half has been a roller-coaster ride for Darrell Cottle.
Since being diagnosed with terminal melanoma last March, the 36-year-old has ticked off everything on his bucket list.
That has included marrying the love of his life, honeymooning in Vanuatu, parachuting, gliding, sailing on a big boat, and racing cars in Australia and New Zealand.
A devastating downturn in his health last November was followed by a miraculous turnaround thanks to a new drug trial.
Ten weeks ago the Taupo man became a father for the first time and was now focusing on making sure he stayed around long enough to see his son grow up.
A year ago Mr Cottle and his wife Bronwyn also started up Melanoma Awareness New Zealand - working in schools to educate students about how to avoid melanoma.
His story and the ups and downs he has experienced in the last 18 months are the subject of a 20/20 documentary that screened on TV2 last week (http://tvnz.co.nz/20-20/2020-s2010-e21-video-3824919)
"I have everything to live for," he told The Daily Post.
Mr Cottle said wife Bronwyn had been his rock. "From the time I was diagnosed she took the view that I was not dying of melanoma but was living with it and that's been a great help.
"You can lie down and die or just keep living."
Last November, Mr Cottle said things weren't looking too good. A scan indicated he had around 19 tumours in his lung. The largest had grown from 6mm to 19mm in six months. A tumour on his adrenal gland had also grown to 83mm.
Since being accepted for a drug trial four months ago his health has improved dramatically.
In the latest scan the largest lung tumour had shrunk to 7mm, with some of the smaller tumours disappearing all together. The massive tumour in his adrenal gland had also shrunk to nearly half the size.
Darrell said the tiredness he experienced a year ago had also diminished and he was "feeling great".
His troubles began with an 18-month delay in removing a small black mole on his neck which was initially non-malignant. A further 16-month delay in getting a follow-up check might have prevented the condition from becoming life-threatening.
When he was finally contacted for the follow-up check, a "little bump" where the mole had been removed proved cancerous.
A year later the cancer had spread to his lungs and adrenal gland and Darrell was told it was terminal and untreatable.
Darrell said his advice to people was not to rely on an automatic follow up from the health system.
"If someone says they will contact you in a month and they don't, then call them and keep being proactive."
As part of a naming rights promotion, companies who buy Melanoma Awareness tickets will go into a draw to win naming rights on the car.
For more information visit www.melanomanz.net .