Breast cancer survivor, Noreen Pakinga, is ready to celebrate life

05 September 2022

Noreen Pakinga has a soft spot for her city’s marathon having previously completed the Rotorua Marathon and half marathon, volunteered countless times as a marshal, and religiously cheered people at the finish line each year.

After lapping the lake in 2006, she never thought she would run it again, until now. So, what motivated her to enter this year’s event?

In November 2020, after a self-examination Noreen found a 6cm lump and was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer despite an all-clear mammogram eight months earlier. Two days before Christmas, Noreen underwent a mastectomy. At the age of 47 years.

After 29 sessions of chemotherapy and 15 sessions of radiation Noreen successfully beat breast cancer. And now she is ready to celebrate life with a challenge.

During her 19-month life-altering battle with breast cancer, Phillip, her husband of 31 years, completed a half marathon; and it struck Noreen that she may never be able to compete in a sporting activity again.

Then she bumped into her cousin and fellow Rotorua athlete, Louise Rickard. Naturally the conversation turned towards running to which Louise mentioned the 2022 event will be her milestone 20th Rotorua Marathon . Noreen haphazardly said if “I'm still alive, I'll run it”. Noreen wasn’t hopeful. Louise kept the faith.

But Noreen is here and ready to take on Rotorua with Louise by her side.

“She is my inspiration…she believed enough in me to actually complete it with her…I do not want to let her down.”

With the aim to finish the marathon in under five hours less than two years after beating breast cancer, Noreen is an inspiration herself too.

And she is not letting her battle with breast cancer hold her back! She walks the redwoods, paddles in a Waka Ama, and when it’s too cold she heads indoors to hit the crosstrainer.

“Finishing the marathon means "I want to live" and I want to show my family that they do not need to worry for me and to get on with their lives, I'm good, see I just finished a 42km marathon".

Noreen would like to thank the doctors at Rotorua Hospital and nurses in the Rotorua Hospital Chemotherapy Unit.