When Katarina decided to take on a fundraising challenge for the Gut Cancer foundation, there was never any doubt about who would be at the heart of it - her Pāpā.

Katarina lost her dad to liver cancer in 2023, aged just 54.

“He was the best dad you could ever hope for,” she says. “He always showed up, no matter what. He was funny and cheeky, he served his community and his people, and he was the person you could always rely on. His family was absolutely everything to him.”

During her dad’s illness, Katarina began researching liver cancer and came across the Gut Cancer Foundation. What she discovered struck a chord with both her and her whānau.

“After reading what the Foundation is all about, it really resonated with me and my family. Researching new treatment options and hopefully bringing those treatments here to New Zealand is really important.”

Throughout October 2026, which is liver cancer awareness month, Katarina walked every day as part of her challenge, building towards an epic 54km final walk on 31 October — one kilometre for each of the 54 years of life her dad gave her.

For Katarina, though, the distance represents far more than a number.

“The main reason is to honour my dad’s life, but I also want to push myself to my breaking point - to walk a day in my dad’s shoes. To go through all the emotions, the pain, the fear and the exhaustion, and still carry on. Just like he did.”

The challenge has already brought people together in a way Katarina hadn’t expected. Support has come not only from those closest to her, but from people she has never even met.

“The support from my whānau, my community and complete strangers across the country has been absolutely amazing. Watching all the love come in for this kaupapa has been incredible.”

Through every kilometre, Katarina will be carrying Pāpā Abbott with her - celebrating the funny, cheeky, dependable dad who always showed up for the people he loved, while helping create hope for other families facing a liver cancer diagnosis.

She hopes the funds she raises will help support research and lead to better treatment options for liver cancer here in Aotearoa.

And when asked why she’s getting GUTSY for gut cancers, Katarina sums it up simply:

“I’m getting GUTSY for gut cancers because I want to be part of the change.”