- Stories/
- Personal Stories/
- Kate Kriss Hardman
Kate & Kriss' story: "I'd love to have had a Noelle."
A cancer diagnosis is never fair, but the Hardmans have been hit harder than most. Kate, 39, has had two bouts of breast cancer and is now living with metastatic breast cancer. In between her original experience and recurrence, her husband Kriss, 35, had testicular cancer.
They have three children – Kian, 7, Kacia, 3 and Kaia, 17 months – living their lives to the fullest and raising awareness of cancer across their social media. Their stories highlight the powerful care Kate has with access to a McGrath Cancer Care Nurse compared to Kriss’ experience without that dedicated support.
“It was devastating. I rang Noelle and she was amazing. ”
- Kate
Kate's story
Kate and Kriss are from the UK and that’s where Kate was first diagnosed in 2017, aged 33, when their eldest Kian was only eight months old.
After the family moved to Australia, Kate was under the care of the breast care team at the Royal Darwin Hospital, McGrath Cancer Care Nurse Noelle O’Reilly.
Kate was 22 weeks pregnant with their third child when an ultrasound found a lump. She still gets emotional talking about it.
“It was devastating. I rang Noelle and she was amazing. At that time, the diagnosis was all up in the air and I can’t tell you how much she did for me,” Kate says. “I spoke to her, we went through everything and talked about what to expect. I had so many questions and she answered every single one of them. She was a fountain of knowledge and put Kriss and I at ease.
“We had all these questions, and she just made it seem simple. She gave it to me step by step and made me think I could do it. She told me how the process would be and calmed everything down for me that day.”
The initial diagnosis was another primary cancer, but when Kate experienced neck pain at 33 weeks pregnant a CT scan revealed she had a broken neck. Her C5 had disintegrated, because the cancer had spread.
Kate was now dealing with a metastatic cancer diagnosis.
“It was a really scary time. I was on the spinal ward, Noelle came and saw me and I had all these questions. She gave me straight answers and it was invaluable to have her there at every step of the way,” Kate says. “This is why I get upset talking about it, because her support meant everything to me. I wouldn’t have been able to get through it had she not been there. She lit me up in really dark moments. She sat there in the chemo ward with me, had a laugh and made things brighter.
“She made things easier and gave me the knowledge to know that I could do it. It would have been so much harder if she wasn’t there.”
Living with metastatic cancer
After Kaia was born, Kate underwent radiotherapy for her neck and is on a range of drugs to stabilise her disease. “I’ve got no further mets at the moment. At some point it will rear its ugly head, but hopefully that will be a long way away,” she says. “I’m living with metastatic breast cancer. Treatment is keeping my scans clear, I’m staying positive and dealing with things when they happen.” Kate and Kriss decided to share their family story on Instagram. “I want to tell a story about strength in adversity. To try and give hope to people,” she says.
“I’m living with metastatic breast cancer. Treatment is keeping my scans clear, I’m staying positive and dealing with things when they happen.”
- Kate
McGrath Cancer Care Nurse Noelle O’Reilly’s role in Kate’s life
Kate says that Noelle has been a constant presence during her treatment. She sat in on appointments, visited her in hospital and the chemo ward and is always available whenever Kate had any questions. “Noelle is always there,” Kate says. “She is a phone call or text away. She is a great source of information and my first port of call.”
“I didn’t have anyone in a professional capacity that had the knowledge, resources or the caring nature of a nurse. If I had that, it would’ve been really helpful.”
- Kriss
Kriss' story
In March 2020, Kriss felt a small lump in his testicle. He was 31 years old. The lump was half the size of a pea, but Kriss knew something was wrong. While most people would’ve dismissed it, Kate’s initial diagnosis meant that he went to the doctor straight away.
After the surgery to remove his testicle, Kriss had scans of his lower abdomen and upper torso every six months for two years to make sure it hadn’t spread.
And then that was it.
There has been no support, no follow up and nothing like the ongoing care Kate receives from her McGrath Cancer Care Nurse.
“Apart from going back to the GP, I’m not under anybody,” he says. “I didn’t have anyone in a professional capacity that had the knowledge, resources or the caring nature of a nurse. If I had that, it would’ve been really helpful,” Kriss says.
“I definitely don’t have a Noelle. I’d love to have a Noelle.
“I didn’t have anyone in a professional capacity that had the knowledge, resources or the caring nature of a McGrath Cancer Care Nurse. If I had, it would’ve been really helpful.
“There was no support, nothing unless I decided to strike up a conversation with a bloke in the waiting room. Any level of support would’ve been good when you’re going through a cancer diagnosis and surgery. That was lacking.”
Kim Van Gestel was diagnosed with breast cancer after feeling a lump in her breast. She has been supported throughout by McGrath Cancer Care Nurse Tamara Fernandez.
Foy, 35, was 26 weeks pregnant when she felt pain in her left breast. As the pain continued to increase, she saw her doctor six weeks later where she was referred to an ultrasound.
Vanessa Kostrz was diagnosed with breast cancer just 18 months after an anal cancer diagnosis. With back-to-back cancers, she knows the difference a McGrath Cancer Care Nurse makes.
Melissa Marquis had just celebrated her 50th birthday when she was diagnosed with cancer.
The mum of two, and local primary school principal had booked herself in for her first mammogram when the screening van came to her hometown Geraldton
When Renee was 33, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in her left breast. In November last year, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in her right breast. Being married and raising three young boys and running a business with her husband, Renee quickly acted and sought treatment.
Lizzy Sargeant, 62, and husband Mark were excited to depart on an overseas holiday to London in June last year. Just two days into their holiday, Lizzie felt a lump in her breast.