A medical check for a post-study visa changed Samira Basnet’s plans. The 36-year-old Nepali student in Nelson was diagnosed with thyroid cancer after a lump was found in her neck.
Andy Brew reported for the Nelson Mail on 9 October 2026 that the cancer had spread to nearby lymph nodes. Basnet, who was studying for a Master of Management Studies, was not eligible for publicly funded treatment in her circumstances.
Private surgery and radioactive iodine treatment in Christchurch were estimated to cost about $26,000. Surgeon Dr Ros Pochin offered her professional services without charge and helped launch a fundraiser.
By the time of the report, donations had passed $40,000. The response gave Basnet a way to meet the treatment bill when her diagnosis had left her facing both illness and a large financial barrier.
The fundraising total is a snapshot from the original report. It does not establish that treatment has since been completed.
Source: Andy Brew, Nelson Mail / The Press, 9 October 2026. English summary prepared on 11 October 2026.
