Nicola's cancer fight for Kiwis 'IT'S DEEPLY PERSONAL'

The Cancer Society CEO reveals how the disease impacted her family

- Kasia De Vydt-Jillings

For the past 20 years, cancer has shadowed Nicola Coom’s life, taking her mother, aunt, cousin and grandparents. It has also threatened her own life, leading to a preventative double mastectomy and the removal of her ovaries.

But that only makes the Cancer Society NZ CEO more determined than ever to prevent others from experiencing the heartbreak and loss her own family has.

“This role is deeply personal for me,” shares Nicola, 49. “When cancer has touched your life as much as it has mine and my family’s, you carry that experience and it drives you to change things.”

It began when genetic testing showed Nicola’s mum Judy carried the BRCA1 gene mutation, which dramatically increases the odds of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Her sister and cousin had already been diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer.

At the time, very little was known in New Zealand about it, so years passed before Judy decided to have her ovaries preventatively removed.

Nicola says she will never forget what happened next.

“Dad rang straight after the operation and said, ‘They couldn’t do it. It’s too late, too advanced - she’s already got it,’” she recalls.

Despite living without symptoms, terminal stage four ovarian cancer was the diagnosis.