Tauranga Mayor Tenby Powell Has Prostate Cancer, To Retire From Council For Medical Reasons

Tauranga Mayor Tenby Powell has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will take a medical leave to receive treatment and recover from what, in his opinion, is the “toxicity” of the city council.

Powell said he would go on leave on November 20 and undergo surgery soon after, with the goal of returning to duty as soon as possible in the New Year.

Deputy Mayor Tina Salisbury will speak in his absence.

Powell had careers in the military and business and appeared on the Rich List with his wife, businesswoman Sharon Hunter, before being elected mayor of Tauranga a tumultuous year ago.

Powell, 60, said a PSA blood test done at a routine health check about three weeks ago uncovered the first sign of cancer.

“I get regular checkups, even at my age … I’m on the younger end of the spectrum for this.”

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in kiwi men with more than 3,000 diagnoses and around 600 deaths each year, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Age is the biggest risk factor: cancer mainly affects those over 65.

PSA tests detect a prostate-specific antigen, and elevated levels may indicate a prostate abnormality.

“It wasn’t crazy,” Powell said of his results. “But as a consequence of that I went and saw Peter Gilling, who is recognized worldwide for what he does.”

Based in Tauranga, Gilling is a urologist and professor of surgery, a world-renowned expert and pioneer in his field.

Powell said he underwent two scans: first an MRI that showed there was a problem, then a positron emission tomography (PET) scan – highly detailed medical images that can detect cancers throughout the body.

It was an anxious wait for the results.

“Your mind plays. You start to analyze all the old aches and pains and wonder how far it could have spread. By then I knew I had prostate cancer, the question was, has it spread much?”

Last week, Powell learned that the prostate cancer had spread to “localized” lymph nodes, but not to other organs.

“Fortunately, it has been contained for the most part.”

He said his diagnosis was neither early nor late, but that the cancer must be treated “now.”

“It is what it is. I am one of many. There is nothing unique about this club that I would rather not join. But here I am, knocking on the door.”

Powell, who never knew his father, did not know of any family history of prostate cancer, but knew him by reputation.

“He is the one that catches men, as a rule.”

He was an advocate of checkups from an early age.

“That’s my message to men, particularly in their 50s and 60s: If there’s anything that gives you a clue that there might be a problem, go ahead.

“Don’t sit around and pretend it’s not going to happen because it’s easy for men to do as they are 12 feet tall and bulletproof.”

He said men should act and be open about it.

“There are some doctors who say ‘look, you’re only 58 or 62 and we don’t care about this until you’re 65’ or something like that. Say, ‘I want a test anyway, I want any blood tests or tests are required’ , because early detection is the lifeline. “

In three weeks, Powell will undergo a prostatectomy, including lymph node removal. The surgery would be followed by radiation therapy.

Powell said he was relieved and disappointed in his situation.

“I’m relieved it didn’t spread; that I didn’t have the ‘fix your business’ talk with Peter. I can hope to win the craziest grandfather of the year award someday … though that’s a long way off.

“That’s one of the things that comes to mind, that I really want to be a grandfather one day. It’s funny how your mind jumps to the important things all of a sudden.”

Hunter and Powell have two children, Charlotte, 20, and George, 23.

Powell said his wife was “amazing.”

“She is very loving and very practical at the same time. She is worried, of course, but she has been incredible. She is extremely bright, so she has done a lot of research already.

“The children are upset. Obviously, nobody wants to know that their parents have cancer.”

He said he was disappointed as a civic leader.

“We have come a long way in very challenging conditions. My hope is that it doesn’t slow down.”

He highlighted the Tauranga Transportation System Plan and the opportunity to partner with the new Government over the next two years and build on the strong relationships forged with ministers over the past year.

The council has also been affected by controversy in that period. The ongoing conflict between some elected members prompted the council to hire an independent team to investigate the issues. The team is due to present its first report this month.

Powell has also faced censorship and a number of challenges to his leadership, including calls for him to resign and attempts to topple two deputy mayors. Two weeks ago, Councilmember Jako Abrie resigned and asked that the council be replaced by commissioners. By-elections will be held in February.

Plus, a pandemic, an eruption, and an outbreak of gang violence.

Powell said the role had affected health.

“I arrived in Tauranga fit, slim and mentally strong. Eighteen months later I am a physical wreck but I am still mentally strong.

“2020 has been a difficult year for me, and it seems like it has a stinger in its tail.”

He believed that the only way he could get back into his role was if he took time to focus on his recovery, mentally and physically.

“The post-surgery plan is to be surrounded by positive, energizing people with a positive attitude and I feel blessed to have exactly that in my wonderful family and friends.

He said, in his opinion: “I just intend to get away from the toxicity and negativity of the council for now and fix myself again.

“Hopefully the road to recovery is such that I can go back and take the reins again.”

When asked if he considered other options, he said that he had “never given up on anything in [his] lifetime”.

Powell was confident in Salisbury’s ability to shoulder his responsibilities. He saw her as a “future mayor” and said that, as his deputy, she had proved capable and resilient in no time.

He promoted Salisbury, a first-term councilman, to MP in June after Larry Baldock resigned amid a coup attempt by six councilors, who briefly attempted the same move with Salisbury.

Salisbury said his thoughts were with Powell and his family. He said this situation was unexpected, but he knew when he accepted the role that taking on the role, if necessary, was his responsibility.

“I feel like I’m well prepared. I’ve already had a couple of chances to take over and I’m honored to do it again.”