When Kerry Bisley struggled to make his morning walk to the letterbox, just 40 meters up the driveway, he knew something wasn’t quite right. It was normally an easy stroll, but today it felt like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“For the next 18 months, I was tired and sweating profusely. There was intense pain in my spine and I was bedridden for days with simple ailments. I knew that my body was out of sorts. Then the hospital x-rayed me looking for kidney stones.”
Kerry’s scan revealed something more sinister. When his GP broke the news he had lesions on his spine from multiple myeloma, it was a day he will always remember.
“Afterwards, I sat in the car for two hours, wondering how I would pay the mortgage and how I would put food on the table. And most importantly, how I would tell my wife and daughter.”
As it turns out, Kerry didn’t need to worry about explaining myeloma to his loved ones. A phone call to Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand (LBC) meant help was at hand.
“It was a relief to see Amanda from LBC arrive at my door that night. She explained in simple terms the treatment pathway and different types of support offered. She answered our questions and handed over a myeloma DVD and booklet for reference.
Kerry’s cancer journey was a roller coaster for the next few years. He had many cycles of chemotherapy and two stem cell transplants which clocked up an intense 52 weeks of treatment.
“My humour gets me through tough times. I remember the haemotologist explaining the process for a transplant operation. When asked if I had any questions. I replied ‘can I take my coffee machine into hospital?’ He asked my wife if I was taking my cancer seriously enough.”
Kerry didn’t realise it at the time, but coffee would become a reoccurring theme in his life.
“I quit my high-flying, 36-year career as a chef. Sold the house in Hamilton and moved to Otorohanga. It was a lifestyle change so I could focus on my health without mortgage and career stress. I created a coffee cart business which gave me flexible hours to manage fatigue”.
After the move, Kerry and his family have never looked back. A big personality in a small town, he generated a loyal following for his spectacular coffee brew at Stand Easy with a dash of witty banter.
Kerry’s coffee cart transformed into a popular rendezvous for locals. His charming personality and wise counsel means he provides more than just coffee as a community service.
“People gravitate to me for advice, and the roadside cart feels more like a makeshift consultancy. I’m the local barista, marriage counsellor, farm consultant, employment agent and confessional. Someone suggested I write a book with anonymous characters called ‘Confessions at my Coffee Cart’. But I’d never do that!”
Kerry and his family maintained a connection with LBC attending support groups and the LBC Blood Cancer Patient Forum conference. It was an opportunity to connect with others in the same boat, learn about managing myeloma and understand the latest research and developments in the fast-moving field of blood cancer.
“I’ve been in remission for two and a half years. Humour is my secret weapon for battling illness. I take the mickey out of myself first. If you don’t laugh about things, they will consume you. People take life too seriously and sweat the small stuff. I remember when the doctor diagnosed me with myeloma– I replied with a knowing smile ‘you can’t kill gorse with weed killer’…..and I was right!”