A mother’s wish
From left; Jackson Ashford, John O'Carroll, Caleb Ashford, Cherie O'Carroll and Jaydn Ashford. Photo: Dan Hutchinson
From left; Jackson Ashford, John O'Carroll, Caleb Ashford, Cherie O'Carroll and Jaydn Ashford. Photo: Dan Hutchinson
Four members of Cherie O’Carroll’s family will be competing in the Special Olympics this week, but she can’t make it this time.
By Dan Hutchinson
Cherie, 54, is a life member of Special Olympics for her decades of service in Taupō but she won’t be in Christchurch to see her two youngest boys compete for the first time because she’s fighting a rare and terminal cancer.
Diagnosed about two months ago with sarcoma – a cancer that affects the soft tissue of the body – the best way to prolong her life is chemotherapy, with injections in between every session that cost about $7000 each.
That started on Wednesday this week, the same day as the Special Olympics got underway.
She is determined to stay around as long as possible, as caregiver to her three boys: Caleb 25, Jaydn 17, Jackson 15 and her autistic brother John, 58.
Her mother Auretta was one of several people who started the Taupō Special Olympics branch, and she will be posthumously honoured this week for her 35 years of service.
Auretta died six years ago from the same cancer. About 10% of sarcomas are thought to be hereditary, although the disease is rare and not as much is known about it as more other types.
“John liked running and throwing a ball and whatnot. So, she decided to - her and a couple of other people - decided to open up a Taupō one.”
Cherie has been involved since her early twenties and is now the coach of the Tenpin Bowling team. She was honoured with a life membership three years ago.
This year’s Special Olympics contingent from Taupō includes eight Tenpin bowlers (four from Cherie’s family) and five swimmers.
They got a special send-off on the back of a float at the Christmas Parade on the weekend.
Cherie says the question remains over who will look after her three children and brother when she’s gone.
It was her father Pat O’Carroll who came to see Taupō & Tūrangi News because he didn’t know what else to do.
He can fund her treatment for the first six months or so but doesn’t know what to do after that.
“I've worked all my life in the bush and bloody truck driving and that and what little money I have was going to be hers anyway, you know? So, yeah, I've put $70,000 away for the first 10 (treatments).
“I've never asked for bloody anything from anyone, you know. And I'm just clutching at straws … It’s bloody devastating you know.”
Friends have set up a Givealittle page called ‘A Mothers Wish Cherie O’Carroll’, which has so far raised about $2500.
Pat says he will do what he can to take care of the family. Cherie’s doctors say she could live for between two months and two years, depending on how successful the treatment is.
“She obviously looks after them and she hasn't got a partner now. I'm trying as hard as I can do, but I'm bloody 82 years old.”
Cherie may not have the energy to be actively involved in coaching anymore, but she still has “my own tenpin bowling team” and will cheer them on for as long as she can.