Labour's East Coast MP, Kiritapu Allan, returned to Parliament today with a big smile and a skip in her step.
She came back from cancer treatment with a new lease on life and a priority list that sits close to the heart, with her tamāhine at the centre.
The youngest member of the cabinet recalled some of her deepest fears, saying "When I came to think about the things that were really important to me, right at the top of that list was seeing Hiwa get to her 21st, performing her first proper kapa haka competitions. Those were the things that were really important to me and that was the thing that caused the most fear for me was not being around for her." she said.
While the minister for the 'Mighty' East Coast went through what proved to be a challenging time of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, it was the advice of her daughter that resounded with her.
She described her as 'a light'. Recalling one conversation with her daughter, Allan told the media "she put her hand on my arms and she said 'kei te pai mum mum, kei te pai, kei ko nei ahau'. So she knew that something was wrong and she could tell that not everything was okay."
'Your family deserves you'
Self-care in recovery for Allan also looked like celebrating a centennial rugby match on the East Coast and getting her feet into the waters of Te Tai Rāwhiti. She described it as something her wairua needed.
It is just three months since her social media post in which she told the nation she was diagnosed with stage three cervical cancer. In the middle of a global pandemic and part of a government under pressure to deliver, Allan found herself facing her own battle, one that would be more challenging than she anticipated.
In a plea to the public to look after their health she said "It can feel selfish to prioritise yourself, but your family deserve you, your community deserves you, and you're worth it."
She also said that karakia and rongoā māori have featured in her recovery and she told media that together with the various kaimoana she was given it had all contributed to a healthier tinana (body).
Her message in April was simple and aimed at other wāhine: Get your checks. Today it remains the same.