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KIA ORA, I'M NIC.

I’m a charity founder, speaker, author and general do-gooder.

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I’m also a heart transplantee, mate pukupuku (cancer) survivor and bereaved māmā who lives with Parkinson's. Phew.
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about me

About Me

I'm a Northern Irish woman living in New Zealand.

Now us ‘Norn Iron’ women are made of sturdy stuff: assertive and stoic with a serious stubborn streak.  But cancer in my 30s, heart failure, Parkinson's, and a heart transplant in my 40s, and the death of my wee girl, Kenzie, to cancer—these traits alone couldn't save me from this onslaught of horrors.
About Me
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MY BOOK BOLLIX!

I’m not here to serve up a ‘journey’ with fluffy phrases like 'hope and healing.'  If you’re looking for a story of miracles and fairytale endings, you might be in the wrong place. What I can give you is an unvarnished look at how one woman (that’d be me) keeps moving through the chaos of grief, illness, and the wild unpredictability of life.

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“I’m referring you for a heart transplant.”
"Bollix!"

This conversation with my cardiologist in 2021 was the inspiration for the title of my book, 'Bollix! When life isn't all it's craic'd up to be.'
More About Bollix
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Watch my Documentary

Read some of my articles below to learn more about my life experiences

IN THE MEDIA

Since 2005, I have been invited to share my experiences, thoughts and adventures with media, ranging from life with cancer, Parkinson’s and grief, to charity initiatives and sporting challenges. Below is a selection of media interviews from over the years.
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SOME OF MY ARTICLES

Read some of my articles below to learn more about grief and loss.
articles

Kenzie’s Gift

No young Kiwi should face serious illness or grief alone.
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articles

Fight for Herceptin

Fighting for mate pukupuku (cancer) treatment funding.
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articles

Hope Emerges

Empowering mate ūtaetae (breast cancer) patients to love the skin they’re in.
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HIRE ME

It’s fair to say I’ve faced a lot of adversity in my life, from my mate ūtaetae (breast cancer) diagnosis and a misbehaving body to the death of my three-year-old daughter Kenzie. Through it all, I’ve learnt a lot.

It’s these lessons that I share in my talks on resiliency and determination. I’ve got years of experience of public speaking, including being the keynote speaker at the Human Resource Institutes National conference to a 3,000-strong audience and a TEDx talk.
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