A New Zealand cancer survivor used the traditional Cook Islands headwear, ei katu, to conceal her illness from her elderly mother for 18 months, highlighting the emotional toll of cancer and the importance of support systems.

Dealing with cancer alone is one heartbreak every victim faces, but telling their loved ones is another.

One inspiring cancer survivor managed to prevent her elderly mother from being exposed to the truth about her illness for 18 months before the mother passed away, all thanks to Cook Islands’ famous ‘Ei katu with the help of some women from Aitutaki.

Debbie Sorensen, chief executive officer of the Pasifika Medical Association Group, who has a special connection to the Cook Islands through her grandchildren, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022.

She was the keynote speaker at the Cook Islands Breast Cancer Foundation’s Ribbons of Hope ball held on Saturday at the Tamarind House Restaurant in Tupapa.

In an inspiring speech, Sorensen said within a month of finding out she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she started her chemotherapy and the oncologist told her the only place she could travel to for a few days was Cook Islands.

Upon arriving in Aitutaki for a loved one’s birthday celebration with long, thick, black hair, Sorensen never imagined she would lose her hair on that island due to cancer.

“I didn’t know what to do about that it just kept going like this (falling), and the fantastic women on Aitutaki said ‘you know Debbie all you need to do is put on an ei katu and no one will notice’ and indeed that was the truest thing that happened to me in my cancer journey,” Sorensen said.

“That very many people never knew I had cancer and we didn’t go around telling a lot of people, I could barely manage it myself and I didn’t want my 92-year-old mother to know.

“She didn’t need that heartbreak and worry and she lived with us and so for the next 18 months, she never knew that I had cancer.”

Sorensen’s mother didn’t notice her daughter was losing her hair and undergoing surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Over a year later, she passed away without knowing.

Despite her professional connections and resources, she recounted her struggles to access timely surgery and chemotherapy in New Zealand.

“I couldn’t get on the public list for surgery or chemotherapy and I’m CEO of a medical association, working with doctors every day. Imagine the plight of ordinary people who don’t have the resources I do,” she said.

She expressed gratitude to her colleagues and friends who supported her through the healthcare maze, saying, “If it wasn’t for the people I work for, I might not be doing so well today.”

“My story could have been very different.”

Sorensen said her journey is far from over.

“I’m quite sure this will kill me, but not today, not tomorrow, and probably not in five years. But I wouldn’t bet on 10. All I know is I’m impatient to continue to get things done and make a difference.”

Sorensen’s speech highlighted her personal motivation to fight for better healthcare access and outcomes, not just for herself, but for others.

She expressed her determination to see her children and grandchildren thrive, including three Cook Islands grandchildren.

Acknowledging the universal impact of breast cancer, she moved many in the room by sharing her conversation with Prime Minister Mark Brown, who spoke about losing his mother and two aunties to the cancer.

“This function tonight makes a difference for our women. Everything we can do, we should do together,” Sorensen urged attendees.

She concluded with a message of hope, “My journey is a journey of hope. It’s not a journey of sadness or despair. It’s a journey of what’s possible. I have too much life to live to give up now.”