Bittersweet memories TEARS FOR BELLA'S

The Shorty star wishes her parents had seen her become a TV favourite

- Fleur Guthrie

This year marks the 20th Mother’s Day that Shortland Street star Bella Kalolo-Suraj will have spent without her beloved mum Aneriueta (Teta). It’s a bittersweet day – one that she honours every year in the same way: by lighting a candle in front of a framed photo and raising a toast “to you, Mama”.

Next to the photo is a quarter-full bottle of the Body Shop White Musk oil, which was Teta’s favourite scent. Bella sometimes breathes it in and for a brief moment feels like her mum is still in the room wearing it.

Teta was only 53 when she lost her life to metastatic breast cancer. In the years leading up to her diagnosis, Bella’s mother knew that something was wrong with her body and kept going back to the doctors.

“But she wasn’t heard,” shares the actor and singer. “Finally, she went back and was referred for a scan. By then, the tumour was as big as a golf ball.

“She needed a mastectomy, so we held a farewell party for her boob and I thanked it for nurturing me as a baby. Mum dealt with it pretty well and with humour. She used to fling her faux breast out [that sat in her bra] every now and then. It was like her party trick!”

While there was no family history of breast cancer, Bella ponders whether the amount of stress Teta had been under was a factor.

“When you're the backbone of your family in Samoa and your family here in New Zealand, you can’t help but make sacrifices, and hold on to a lot of stress and family secrets,” says Bella.