Cancer survivor Stephanie Wiki promotes urges Palmerston North audience to check health cover

Cancer survivor Stephanie Wiki promotes urges Palmerston North audience to check health cover

Stephanie Wiki talks about her battle with breast cancer.

Within the space of five years, Stephanie Wiki dealt with breast cancer, earthquakes, moving country, separating from her husband, and the death of her best friend.

But she still has a smile on her face and says it's what you do in those situations that determines who you are.

Wiki spoke to Palmerston North City Council workers on Tuesday about her battle with breast cancer and the importance of having health insurance in the event of a major health issue.

She discovered a lump in her breast on February 19, 2011, at just 40 years old.

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She was booked in for a mammogram at 2pm on February 22, 2011, in Christchurch, but when the earthquake struck her priorities had to shift.

She flew out of Christchurch to Auckland, managing to swap her mammogram appointment to Auckland as well, and once she arrived in the big smoke she was told to not go home.

"I had to have a mastectomy and go on to have chemotherapy after that."

Wiki also had to have reconstruction surgery and after some time flying between cities, her family ended up moving up to Auckland.

Having worked as an insurance broker for most of her life, she has had plenty of conversations about health cover and non-funded drugs, but never thought she would be the patient.

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She said it would have been a very different journey for her had she not had her health cover in place.

"I would not have been able to have both breasts removed, my reconstruction would have been different. I had a lot more options."

Wiki said she didn't think a lot of people knew there was health insurance for non-funded medication.

She encouraged people to review their healthcare policies, but her main advice was for people to enjoy life.

"Live every day and live it to the fullest."

 - Stuff