“We had a number of close calls. One was the Pike River Mine tragedy. I was supposed to be down the mine that Friday; the day it blew up, but it had been rescheduled. We made it through both Christchurch earthquakes. And finally, myeloma. That was the one that got me.”
Barry has lived in Christchurch for the past 36 years, along with his wife, Sandra, and their three adult children. He found out he had blood cancer in 2011 – but had been suffering from symptoms for three years before that. “I’d had a sore back. Carrying a 6kg tool bag and fire extinguishers every day was becoming difficult. So my work sent me to a physio through ACC. I had a blood test done with a new doctor, which didn’t show anything, then another blood test with our original family doctor, and… I knew within 24 hours.”
“We both thought it was some kind of cancer – but no one wanted to say it out loud,” Sandra says. “Neither of us had heard of multiple myeloma.”
Barry was initially given just days or weeks left to live. He had to start treatment straight away. “We just kept going with more and more medication and treatment. Everything was thrown at him.” Everything, including a successful stem cell transplant, later that year. Eventually Barry made it through 2011.
Sandra took on the role of his nurse at home, and kept Barry safe from sicknesses while he was at his most vulnerable. “I couldn’t even get a cold, so Sandra kept me in absolute lockdown.” Sandra jokes, “I needed him to get through this, because the lawnmower hates me!” It’s clear that staying positive and having a good sense of humour is important to the couple.
“He was OK for a couple of years before it started to rear its head again. That’s when they offered him the first clinical trial… So, we signed the paper and hoped for the best.”
The couple are grateful to the hospital staff. “They were always amazing – particularly his specialist.” They’re also thankful for the support they received from LBC. “The team down here reached out to us. Kate and Helen are great,” says Barry, “We attend most of their LBC support meetings. And, back in 2019, we went up to Auckland to speak at the Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge.”
Barry is now in remission after another clinical trial last year. “The trials are very full on. But there are no complaints from me if it works, or will help someone else in the future.”
“A few weeks ago I saw my haematologist in person for the first time in six months, and he couldn’t believe it. He opened the door and said, ‘Look at you! You’d never know anything was wrong.’”
As hard as the journey has been, the couple has managed to make the most out of life, even fitting in the Otago Rail Trail with a group of friends between remissions and treatments. Barry also enjoys spending time at the Rolleston Men’s Shed, where they call him the Energiser Bunny.
Sandra says, “I can’t see him slowing down any time soon. He’s a great number eight wire man!”