To Russia With Love - My Amazing Ms Recovery
Woman’s Day Magazine NZ|April 15 2019

Nicky’s destiny was

Julie Jacobson
To Russia With Love - My Amazing Ms Recovery

At just 44, Nicky Tooley was facing the reality of life without her mobility. Having been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at 22, her condition had grown progressively worse over the last seven years.

The once energetic single mum, who used to run 45 minutes each day and who thought nothing of hiking for hours around her home in Lower Hutt’s western hills, had reached the stage where even walking around the supermarket was unbearable.

Her feet were numb and sore, she suffered from chronic headaches and pins and needles, and she had become partially blind in one eye. Plus, memory loss, fatigue and an inability to concentrate were affecting her work as an account manager at her brother’s packaging company.

Feeling that she was being robbed of a normal life and a future with her 13-year-old son Zac, Nicky pinned her hopes on an emerging but controversial therapy, hematopoietic stem cell treatment (HSCT), which uses a patient’s stem cells to “reboot” the immune system and halt the progression of the disease.

But first there was the seemingly insurmountable matter of cost to tackle. HSCT is publicly funded in the US, UK, Mexico and Japan, but is not yet available in New Zealand.

It comes with a huge $100,000 price tag and no guarantees of a cure.

However Nicky, who tragically lost a sister to a brain tumour just over three years ago, was determined she wasn’t going to end up in a wheelchair. “I always knew I’d try everything before I’d let that happen.”

Esta historia es de la edición April 15 2019 de Woman’s Day Magazine NZ.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición April 15 2019 de Woman’s Day Magazine NZ.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE WOMAN’S DAY MAGAZINE NZVer todo
TREASURE & TRAUMA
Woman’s Day Magazine New Zealand

TREASURE & TRAUMA

The launch of the new season of Celebrity Treasure Island doubled as an eighth wedding anniversary celebration for contestant Millen Baird and his wife Siobhan Marshall, who came fourth on the show back in 2022.

time-read
1 min  |
August 31, 2024
JUDGE JAY-JAY
Woman’s Day Magazine New Zealand

JUDGE JAY-JAY

Radio diva Jay-Jay Feeney delivers her verdict on your biggest dilemmas

time-read
2 minutos  |
August 31, 2024
CASEY'S BABY JOY 'OUR GIRL IS ALREADY SO LOVED'
Woman’s Day Magazine New Zealand

CASEY'S BABY JOY 'OUR GIRL IS ALREADY SO LOVED'

The Te Puke gym owner refused to let a devastating accident stop her from becoming a mother

time-read
3 minutos  |
August 31, 2024
DEAD FUNNY! SHOSHANA'S GOING SOLO
Woman’s Day Magazine New Zealand

DEAD FUNNY! SHOSHANA'S GOING SOLO

The Emmy Award-winning writer is starring in a macabre new comedy

time-read
3 minutos  |
August 31, 2024
TWO RAW SISTERS BABY MAKES THREE!
Woman’s Day Magazine New Zealand

TWO RAW SISTERS BABY MAKES THREE!

Rosa and Margo have a new cookbook and bundle of joy on the way

time-read
3 minutos  |
August 31, 2024
HOME AND AWAY'S NEW MÃORI STAR
Woman’s Day Magazine New Zealand

HOME AND AWAY'S NEW MÃORI STAR

The son of a Kiwi sporting Legend, Cantona Stewart is making waves in Summer Bay

time-read
2 minutos  |
August 31, 2024
TV STAR AIDEE 'THE NIGHT I ALMOST DIED'
Woman’s Day Magazine New Zealand

TV STAR AIDEE 'THE NIGHT I ALMOST DIED'

The actress and director opens up about her terrifying ordeal

time-read
3 minutos  |
August 31, 2024
CARMEL SEPULONI  I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A FIGHTER!
Woman’s Day Magazine New Zealand

CARMEL SEPULONI I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A FIGHTER!

Our former deputy PM the lessons she's learnt in politics on CTI

time-read
3 minutos  |
August 31, 2024
KENNEDY & SOLLY'S ROMANTIC RACE TO THE ALTAR
Woman’s Day Magazine New Zealand

KENNEDY & SOLLY'S ROMANTIC RACE TO THE ALTAR

The Black Ferns co-captain and her rugby star husband organised the ir nuptials in just five days!

time-read
5 minutos  |
August 31, 2024
THE BRAD & GEORGE SHOW is back!
Woman’s Day Magazine New Zealand

THE BRAD & GEORGE SHOW is back!

Their lovable bromance is stealing the spotlight in Venice!

time-read
1 min  |
August 31, 2024