When Taranaki high school teacher Karen Morine faced not one but two terminal cancer diagnoses, first her husband Alistair’s, then her own, she experienced firsthand the emotional, physical, and financial toll of the illness.    But rather than surrender to despair, Karen transformed her pain into purpose and chose hope in the darkest of times.  Out of this journey, the Daphne Cancer Care Fund was born – established through the Taranaki Foundation to support others facing similar battles.

Growing up in Christchurch, faith and giving were core family values. Values she passed on to her two daughters.  “With our daughters, we taught them that if you had three dollars, you saved one, spent one, and gave one away.”

That spirit of giving and guiding others extended beyond Karen’s childhood and shaped her life through teaching, a path that runs in the family. Her mother was a teacher, then Karen herself, and her daughter too. “I was called to teach,” she says, recalling her times of enjoying teaching younger children with a blackboard easel when she was primary aged. “There was no doubt in my final year of school that I would go teaching”.

For many years, Karen taught Economics, Accounting, Business Studies and Social Science first in Canterbury & Christchurch then, at New Plymouth Girls’ High School before moving to Boys’ High later in her career. At the heart of her teaching was always connection, with students, colleagues, and the wider community. That sense of connection extended even during personal hardship. When her husband Alistair, “Al,” as she fondly calls him, was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour in April 2021, the students she was teaching at the time became part of the journey.  She remembers a Year 13 class organising flowers, chocolates and a card one day – a powerful gesture of empathy.  There were many kind gestures like that from both current and past students she taught.

During Alistair’s treatment (surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy), Karen became acutely aware not only of the emotional toll of cancer, but also of the often-silent financial burden. Travel costs, lost income, and everyday expenses added stress for many people they met. Karen and Alistair helped where they could, but the need was far greater than they could meet alone.

In August 2022, as she was navigating Alistair’s final months, Karen was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She underwent surgery and lengthy chemotherapy. The oncology day ward, where she often spent up to six hours at a time, became a place of shared stories and mutual support. Again and again, she heard of people struggling to meet basic costs while undergoing treatment.

Alistair passed away in January 2023 while Karen was still undergoing her own first round of chemotherapy. 6 months after completing the course, Karen learned her own cancer had returned – and this time, it was terminal.

One sleepless night, amidst grief and reflection, Karen was struck by a sense of clarity. “I was crying for all the losses that occur with cancer,” she says, “when I was given the vision of how something good could come from my cancer journey.”

That vision became the Daphne Cancer Care Fund, named after her mother and the Daphne flower which is renowned for its sweet fragrance and its ability to bloom in the depths of winter. “It’s a source of beauty and hope in a hard season,” Karen says. “Just like I hope this fund can be.”

Karen and her late husband Alistair, “Al,” as she fondly calls him.

Launching the fund

With support from trusted friends, including former Taranaki Foundation CE Vicki Haylock, whom Karen met through a cancer walking group, she was introduced to the Taranaki Foundation in early 2024. The Daphne Cancer Care Fund (DCCF) was officially launched in September, just in time for Karen’s birthday. “Instead of gifts, I asked my friends and whānau to donate,” she says. “And I’ve been thrilled to see the fund grow through various fundraisers and gifts.”

The fund, established through Taranaki Foundation, supports people living with cancer who are facing financial hardship. It’s a legacy fund – one that will continue to provide for others long after Karen is gone. “All my teaching career I’ve tried to make a difference,” she says. “Now I like the idea of continuing to do so, of leaving a legacy beyond the grave.”

Leaving a Legacy of Hope

Karen’s DCCF committee, that includes one of her daughters will soon take over administration of the fund.  Applications for support will soon be live.  “I’m nervous,” Karen admits. “because I know the need is huge…but I’m also hopeful.”

Applications will be available online in the coming weeks for Taranaki residents via the Daphne Cancer Care Fund website. 

Taranaki Foundation will provide the returns from the fund. The grant applications will be assessed by the DCCF committee where they will assess the need and ensure prompt distribution. Grants given out will typically be under $300, intended to cover essential needs such as groceries, petrol, wigs, or transport. “No one chooses to receive a cancer diagnosis,” Karen says. “For many, the journey is overwhelming. With help, the Daphne Cancer Care Fund hopes to ease the financial burden – bringing care, kindness, and relief during incredibly difficult times” shares Karen.

Living Fully

Even now, with limited time ahead, Karen continues to live fully. “I don’t take things for granted. I try to make the most of every day,” she says. “I can be content knowing my time is short, because I know I’ve made a difference. Hopefully that’s my legacy – that I have helped others.  This would not have been possible without the support of my daughters and close friends. It’s been a massive team effort to get this off the ground.”

“No one chooses to get cancer. It’s pretty stink,” she says. “But when you’re given a cactus, you don’t have to sit on it. You can put it to the side, get on with living and try to make a difference for someone else.”

Through the Daphne Cancer Care Fund, that’s exactly what Karen is doing.

 

For more information, to donate, or to apply for support, click here.