A drive to survive: Michael lives life to the full

The East Auckland resident started having "dizzy turns" in 2010 and his wife Suzana noticed he was dragging his leg. Since then, Michael's optimism and generous spirit has seen him through some tough times, and he's grateful for each new day.

It's incredible that I've never had to pay a cent for anything, and it's great that people have an easy way to show appreciation for their care by donating to Auckland Hospital Foundation.

Following a visit to his GP, Michael was referred to Auckland City Hospital for a MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan. "It was all really speedy, but the news wasn't good," says Michael.

The scan revealed a large tumour in Michael's brain and he was immediately seen by Neurosurgeon Mr Edward Mee. Michael had "burr hole" surgery in early 2011, drilling a small hole into his skull for a biopsy. "The results came back as malignant. It was nerve-racking, but I was always kept informed," says Michael, who was put under the care of a dedicated Radiation Oncologist.

Auckland City Hospital's Regional Cancer Centre | Te Pūriri o Te Ora treats all patients in the Northern Region, north of Mercer, and is the only public provider of radiotherapy in the region.

"The tumour was an oligodendroglioma, which meant it was growing on the nerves. It couldn't be removed and was changing from grade 3 to grade 4, so my Radiation Oncologist decided to do radiation and chemo together."

Michael had a 30-day cycle of radiotherapy and two rounds of oral chemotherapy, and he met weekly with his Radiation Oncologist as an outpatient. "The treatment always felt so personalised. It was a learning process, but everyone was really good at explaining everything."

A follow-up scan showed Michael's tumour had shrunk by 70 per cent. "Everyone was amazed at the reduction. There was still 30 per cent in there, but . . . I'm still here and living one day at a time." 

Michael counts himself lucky to be in New Zealand, where he says the expertise is the "best in the world". He remains closely monitored by Auckland City Hospital's Cancer team, having six-monthly scans to check the tumour's growth.

Through its Regional Cancer Centre, Auckland City Hospital provides cancer care for 1.5 million people. The Auckland Hospital Foundation aims to help patients achieve better health outcomes, including everyone affected by cancer.

While he suffered headaches, short-term memory loss and many stressful times, the hardest part for Michael was being told he couldn't drive for three years.

Wife Suzana says driving is Michael's passion: "Being told he couldn't drive was definitely the biggest blow for Michael, but the hospital team was great at keeping him motivated and recommended a gym programme to keep him active."

Michael is happily behind the wheel again and even became a volunteer driver for other cancer patients – taking them to their medical appointments. "I used the service during my treatment, so I wanted to 'pay it forward' in my own way," he says.

Since his journey with Te Pūriri o Te Ora began, Michael is grateful to have celebrated many milestones, including his 25th wedding anniversary and his son's marriage.

"I've always stayed positive and felt I would get through it. I've never asked how long I've got; I've relied on my optimism, the continued support of family and friends, and my spirituality. My amazing Radiation Oncologist has always been so reassuring; his personal touch has made all the difference and the team has given me a second life.

To learn more about Cancer Care at Auckland City Hospital, and how you can support the team, click here.