Young Mother Faces Financial Hurdles After Cancer Treatment Success

A young mother from New Zealand, Sariah Nesbit, is facing a critical financial challenge following a promising response to her cancer treatment. Diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of gastric cancer in March 2023, the 25-year-old was initially given just one year to live. Her treatment plan, which included chemotherapy and an unfunded immunotherapy drug known as Nivolumab, has shown remarkable results, but the costs of ongoing treatment now threaten her newfound hope.

In her initial months of treatment, Nesbit, a mother to Mahalia-June, aged five, and Amāia, aged four, learned that the cancer was classified as advanced and inoperable, with surgery not being an option due to the disease’s spread. “My only hope was a combination of chemotherapy and Nivolumab,” Nesbit recounted in a recent update on her fundraising page, Givealittle, expressing relief that the treatment exceeded expectations.

Following several months of intensive therapy, scans conducted in September 2023 revealed significant progress. The medical team informed her that the cancer had not spread further, and her status changed from inoperable to operable. “The scans showed that my giant tumour, which was basically the size of my whole stomach, had shrunk almost completely,” she said.

In October 2023, Sariah underwent a major surgical procedure to remove the primary tumour. Out of 24 lymph nodes examined, only one tested positive for cancer. Despite this success, Nesbit faces the daunting prospect of her cancer returning if she cannot secure funding for the remainder of her treatment.

“My doctors indicated that because my cancer is so rare and aggressive, it is likely to return within a year or two, potentially in a worse form,” she explained. To mitigate this risk, her oncologists have advised continuing the Nivolumab immunotherapy for an additional six months. This is intended to eliminate any remaining microscopic cancer cells and safeguard her second chance at life.

Unfortunately, the drug remains unfunded in New Zealand, and Nesbit is now seeking to raise an urgent $45,000 to complete her treatment. She has been informed that if she does not resume therapy within two months, the cancer may begin to grow again. “I am asking for your help one last time to cross this finish line,” she appealed to supporters. “You have already bought me time, and now you are helping me continue to have a future with my daughters.”

After her operation, Nesbit’s children understood that “mummy’s a little bit better,” but her fight is ongoing. “This year, the number one question from them is, ‘Mum, are you going to the doctors? Are you going to the hospital?'” she shared, highlighting the emotional toll that her illness has taken on her family.

Her mother, Marie Nesbit, expressed on social media that her daughter is not asking for a miracle but simply for more time. “Time to be a mum. Time to hold her girls. Time to watch them grow,” she wrote. The situation is particularly disheartening for Marie, who wishes that financial solutions existed to save her daughter’s life. “I really want to be able to save her life with a card,” she remarked. “I would give her my arm if I had to.”

As Sariah prepares to return to university next year to continue her law studies, which she had to pause due to her health struggles, she remains hopeful that support will come through for her ongoing treatment. Her story underscores the urgent need for accessible cancer treatments and the profound impact of financial barriers on patients and their families.