When Heeni Hoterene was diagnosed with stage four terminal cancer, she had a choice to make – accept the diagnosis or fight it to the end using her knowledge as a maramataka expert to map out her healing. Maramataka refers to the Māori lunar calendar and the practise of planning accordinginly.
Heeni is one of Aotearoa’s most renowned and respected experts, sharing wisdom daily with her more than 70,000 followers online.
“When I was diagnosed two years ago, I knew I was sick,” recalls Heeni, 49. “My stomach had swelled right up and I was having heavy bleeding. I fainted twice and my children had to ring for an ambulance in the middle of the night.
“But it was still quite a shock to be diagnosed with terminal cancer. It started in my uterus and spread to my lymph nodes, stomach and spine.”
The Northland mother-of-four clearly remembers those first nights, worrying about her tamariki, Karirikura, 14, Otane, 13, Keteriki, 11, and Oenuku, six, and what was to come.
“I could feel the walls closing in. It was very scary, terrifying and I didn’t know what to do. The second night it happened again, but I decided, ‘I’m not going to live in this fear.’”
In that moment, Heeni reminded herself of the things she believed in – being Māori and maramataka.
This story is from the July 03, 2023 edition of New Zealand Woman's Weekly.
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This story is from the July 03, 2023 edition of New Zealand Woman's Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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