Kat Finnerty in Vanuatu, where she made the most of being stranded. Photo: Supplied.
A former Jerilderie resident suffering from the chronic illness multiple sclerosis (MS) has climbed two volcanoes in Vanuatu and documented her experience in a new book.
Kat Finnerty, 52, is a Canadian-born writer who came to Australia as a backpacker in her 20s. She settled here before being diagnosed with MS, a chronic disease that attacks the central nervous system.
In 1998, she moved to Jerilderie, where she ran a sports centre, lived for 20 years and was able to turn her life around with the help of the local community.
“I was diagnosed with MS when I was just 24. I became suicidal in my 30s when I lost my vision and was told I’d be in a wheelchair in my 40s,” she said.
“But because my whole life has been one long roller-coaster ride full of disasters, I refused to give in to my fate and found a way to cure myself.”
In 2007, a local journalist helped rally Jerilderie residents to raise $20,000 to send Ms Finnerty overseas for radical stem cell therapy in Greece and Israel.
She was one of the first to undergo this highly controversial procedure, which she said put her into remission. She said she transformed her life, both mentally and physically, using a combination of diet, exercise, yoga, meditation and Buddhist philosophy.
In 2020, she had to climb more life hurdles when she was stranded on a remote island in Vanuatu (Espiritu Santo), thanks to the twin disasters of Cyclone Harold and COVID. Rather than lament her two and a half years of isolation, she said she used her time on the island to finish writing her memoir.
“The cover of the book is actually a picture of me standing in the middle of Category 5 Cyclone Harold, shouting, ‘Bring it on’. It was exhilarating and scary at the same time; I mean this was one of the most powerful cyclones ever recorded in the South Pacific.”
It was in Vanuatu that she decided to climb two volcanoes – Mt Yasur and Manaro.
Kat climbed Mt Manaro with her daughter. Photo: Supplied.
“Who in their right mind would climb two live volcanoes to celebrate 25 years of a life with MS and promote a book called Never Let a Good Disaster Go to Waste? [I] just did this recently in a bid to inspire others to follow [my] life journey and become part of her “master of disaster” crusade to overcome suffering and adversity,” she said.
“A lot of people have asked me why I would do something that crazy at my age and with my history of disabilities and my response is, you have to put your money where your mouth is, so what better challenge than to summit two volcanoes in the most natural disaster-prone country on Earth, in this case Vanuatu.”
The daring expeditions propelled her memoir on Amazon and saw her complete a whirlwind tour of Canada last year where she featured on several national TV and radio shows.
It culminated in an interview with Canadian actor Matt Embry (star of the Netflix MS documentary Living Proof).
The 52-year-old mum of three has now returned to her roots in the Riverina (she still owns a house in Jerilderie) to promote her book.
“Reese Witherspoon is going to star in a Netflix film about my book. She just doesn’t know it yet,” she joked.
“We all have to deal with adversity in our lives, but it’s how we perceive and react to it that determines whether we continue to suffer needlessly. Every disaster, betrayal or loss can either be seen as a terrible tragedy or as a series of unfolding life lessons. And you can choose to radically accept this and find ways to be grateful for the lesson or fight against it.”
More information on Ms Finnerty’s journey can be found on her website, while her book Never Let a Good Disaster Go to Waste is for sale on Amazon.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact:
Lifeline’s 24-hour crisis support line – 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
Kids Helpline – 1800 551 800 or kidshelpline.com.au
MensLine Australia – 1300 789 978.
