A year ago she discovered she was living with lymphoma, a type of cancer, and began a battle she would eventually win.
She was regularly overcome with extreme fatigue, forcing her when driving to pull over on the roadside to sleep.
The fatigue started in 2017 and by 2019 it was "unreal".
In 2018 she broke out in a lymphoma rash and over time had episodes of hot flushes.
Mrs Pont, a mother of two, was living a busy life, holding down various roles in the Ranfurly community.
Aside from the fatigue, she believed the side effects that consumed her were caused by menopause — until a lump appeared on her neck.
At that point she realised it was possible the underlying cause was much more sinister.
She was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma stage 2, a cancer that starts in the lymph glands or other organs of the lymphatic system.
Mrs Pont endured four rounds of chemotherapy.
She responded well to treatment and was given the "all clear" in March.
Mrs Pont wrote about her experience on Facebook and joined various lymphoma support pages where she received advice from around the world.
She was grateful to many people and groups who supported her, including Dunedin Hospital’s oncology department, staff at Maniototo Health Services and those who sent cards, messages of support, food, care packages, hampers and who looked after her house and pets.
Last but not least, she was thankful to her husband Jeff and daughters Madi (17) and Kassidy (15) and wider whanau and friends.
Mrs Pont is still working on her recovery thanks to the Pinc and Steel rehabilitation programme, which provides after-care support following cancer treatment.
It is one of the few programmes she has discovered post-cancer and she worries there is far less support at the end of treatment than during it.
But, overall, a year since her "whirlwind" journey began, Mrs Pont is grateful.
"It’s been hell, but has taught me so much about myself and others and has opened up my thinking in so many ways."
— Central Otago News
