One New Zealand woman dies of ovarian cancer every 48 hours, and former Canterbury Flames netball star, Kelly Hutton is battling that cancer right now.
The former netball star was living alone in Bahrain at the time of her diagnosis making it even more difficult to take the devastating news.
"I had to go home and google what they were saying, it was devastating and then having to ring family and friends at home (Aotearoa) so there was a whole different extra layer of pain."
Hutton underwent chemotherapy and surgery resulting in her being cancer free. Giving her a further two years to live, but things took a turn.
"I started feeling a bit off, it was another 10 months and I was re-diagnosed. In three years I've been diagnosed with cancer twice."
And again Hutton finished her treatment in October 2021 and has since been cancer free for eleven months.
"I'm just hoping that will continue for the foreseeable future, for a long time."
Hutton has the Bracka Gene a gene that increases the risk of getting cancer, and because of the gene, she's funded through Pharmac to receive vital medicine, which has given her extra time to live.
"When I first started taking it they said, oh it might extend your life for another six months, which doesn't seem like a lot obviously but I'll take that six months."
She says because the drug is fresh to the market they don't actually know the statistics for extending her life. Hutton's hopeful that she's on the right end of the statistics.
Without the funding Hutton would be forking out $9,000 a month, something a lady she met with ovarian cancer - is forced to do.
"We're on the same Facebook group, she said 'oh yeah I'm not funded', and I had a box sitting on my draw that were different doses that I couldn't have anymore."
Hutton said the box of pills was worth $4,000 and because she couldn't use them, she dropped them off to the lady also suffering from cancer.
She says symptoms of ovarian cancer are "so vague" but it could be bloating, needing to go to the toilet more than usual and extreme fatigue.
"It's really a matter of knowing your body and advocating for yourself and going to the doctor."
She said the cervical smear doesn't detect ovarian cancer, so she urges women to advocate for themselves.
"A lot of women have been sort of pushed aside when the doctors don't actually realise the symptoms."
She added women getting their smears is vital regardless.
"It could save your life and your kids can be happy."
Watch the full interview above.
