Ashburton horse racing enthusiast and dairy farmer Norm Stewart is continuing to live life to the fullest after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Susan Sandys reports.
Norm Stewart celebrated his 60th birthday with friends recently at the races at Ashburton Racecourse.
It was part of a busy extended weekend, as the Friday prior he and wife Lee-Anne hosted the wedding of one of their three adult children. Adam married bride Meg in the Stewart’s picturesque farm homestead garden.
For Norm, every moment with family and friends is more precious than ever after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It followed a brush with bowel cancer three years prior, when he had a polyp removed.
A doctor made the non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis in April last year, after Norm sought help for symptoms including extreme fatigue and a sore throat. He underwent chemotherapy, but the cancer was aggressive and did not respond.
Norm was selected to participate in a CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T-cell therapy clinical trial late last year, undertaken by the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research in Wellington.
CAR T-cell therapy works by redirecting a patient’s own immune cells (T-cells) in the laboratory, to directly identify and attack cancer cells.
Research and trials on the therapy is under way worldwide, and it is already used as a treatment for some cancers.
However, it has potential sideaffects and Norm had a reaction to the therapy, developing a high fever with cytokine release syndrome. He recovered in Wellington hospital, but then developed neurotoxicity, being unsteady on his feet with blurred vision.
The couple returned on Christmas Eve from spending three weeks in the capital. Norm has now fully recovered from the side affects, and overall had some benefit from the CAR T-cell therapy, as skeletal lesions which had not responded to chemo disappeared.
Ultimately this has given him more time, but new lesions have developed, meaning there is no change in his terminal prognosis.
Norm said by participating in the ground-breaking trial he felt he had contributed a little to the research, which ultimately could help towards developing a cancer vaccine.
‘‘I think it’s progressive research, and hopefully our grandchildren can get a vaccine for my little bit,’’ he said.
Norm said the Ashburton Racecourse was a stunning facility.
He had enjoyed many visits over the years as he followed thoroughbred horse racing; it had been a welcome respite from working.
‘‘That’s been my out, the gallops,’’ he said.
Although his career of dairy farming had been a great passion. Today he was continuing to do what he loved, getting out among the cows, usually with huntaway Dave the retired farm dog, and breathing in the fresh air.
‘‘I will never retire. I grow grass for a living. Grass is money and milk,’’ he said.
Norm celebrated his birthday in a marquee at the racecourse on the Sunday, when he and his many visitors could enjoy watching the live races under way and socialise at the same time.
He also helped host an auction in the marquee, on the Saturday when he and his friends gathered to watch harness races.
The auction raised $5550 for Hospice Mid Canterbury.
Ashburton Trotting Club vicepresident Simon Adlam said the idea for the auction had been ‘‘a spur of the moment thing’’.
He knew Norm had a marquee prepared for about 50 friends from the North Island to arrive and watch harness racing at the course on the Saturday, before celebrating his birthday on the Sunday.
Next thing rides in the mobile start vehicle he had suggested for his friends were to be auctioned off, and individuals and sponsors came on board to donate additional items including racing memorabilia.
The auctioneer was popular horse racing commentator Tony Lee.
Norm told the previously selected charity of Hospice Mid Canterbury to be there with an eftpos machine.
Auction items included the silkies worn by, and racing whip used by, jockey Scott Seamer when he rode Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal in 2001. The framed items went for $1800.
Hospice manager Nicole Williams said the auction was a wonderful event, and she was grateful to Norm and admired his zest for life.
‘‘He’s the definition of our hospice motto ‘Live every moment’,’’ she said.
