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Gemma Malins and her husband Brandon were able to celebrate their birthdays in Queenstown.
A 28-year-old diagnosed with stage four cancer was able to tick off her Queenstown wish list as her disease is not responding to treatment.
Aucklander Gemma Malins was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma in October 2019. For nearly a year, her doctor had dismissed her concerns and told her that she only had “fat lumps” under her skin, she said.
As the anniversary of her diagnosis nears, the Beachlands woman said she and her husband Brandon are “taking every day that I’m alive as a blessing.”
They have just returned from the “vacation of a lifetime” in Queenstown, thanks to the generosity of local businesses and the general public.
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When Auckland sank back into lockdown, the trip was under threat, but they were able to rebook their canceled flights and only missed two days of the vacation.
They flew in on Malins’ birthday on September 7 and also celebrated her husband’s 21st birthday during the “awesome” holidays.
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Horseback riding was at the top of Gemma’s wish list, and she was able to ride a horse from The Lord of the Rings.
They marked horseback riding, a helicopter ride, kiwi viewing, sailing the Earnslaw steamboat, and hopping on the gondola and sled from their bucket list.
They were also able to meet the woman who organized everything for them, inviting her and her husband to dinner at their apartment and visit their church.
But they couldn’t completely forget Malins illness while they were away. When she was not feeling well one day, they had to call an ambulance and spend a few hours in the hospital.
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Gemma is still in treatment, but many tumors do not respond.
Malins said her treatment is “progressing,” but many of the tumors, which have spread throughout her body, do not respond and have grown.
Radiation to your brain is the next step, and you may join a clinical trial.
“I’m freaked out about the whole thing,” Malins said.
“I couldn’t do it without Brandon by my side.”
