Coronavirus Covid-19 Delta outbreak: Mum of liver transplant girl sends care packages to Starship

Welcome to our new nzherald.co.nz characteristic, celebrating nice Kiwis going the additional distance in lockdown. Do you’ve got a Lockdown Hero? We wish to hear heartwarming tales about companies or people going above and past to get us by lockdown. Electronic mail: kirsty.wynn@nzme.co.nz

Rebecca Haggitt is aware of all too properly how powerful it’s to be in Starship kids’s hospital with a sick little one.

Ward 26B was dwelling for Haggitt for the primary six months of her daughter Katie’s life whereas the little woman waited for a liver transplant.

So when Haggitt heard dad and mom of sick youngsters on the identical ward have been struggling to get out to purchase meals and dwelling off toast and tinned pears throughout lockdown she took motion.

Yesterday the mum of three despatched six massive care packing containers to the ward stuffed with non-perishable meals, toiletries, and loads of treats.

“Throughout degree four there is just one mother or father allowed to remain they usually cannot swap over to have a break,” Haggitt stated.

“Starship is superb however staffing is restricted in the intervening time so getting out to have a break or to purchase something is unimaginable.”

Beneath Covid alert degree four there have been no meals deliveries to the hospital and the cafes have been closed.

“I used to be fairly upset after I heard dad and mom could not get out and I assumed we are able to do one thing about this.”

Haggitt put the decision out to her household, neighbours, and her Biliary Atresia/liver transplant New Zealand help group on Fb and was amazed on the help that got here again.

“I used to be anticipating maybe $200 for sufficient to fill a banana field however I had $800 in donations, it was superb,” Haggitt stated.

“I spent $700 at Pak’nSave and I spent the remainder getting all the things packed and on an pressing courier so the dad and mom had issues immediately.”

Haggitt’s dad and mom David and Ann Wharton nominated their daughter saying she and her husband Bryan knew first-hand the powerful time dad and mom on the ward have been going by.

She is in the present day’s (very reluctant) NZ Herald Lockdown Hero.

Daughter Katie, now 5, had a liver transplant at 5 months after a dwell donation from Haggitt’s brother Simon.

“It was a really tough time for the entire household so I do know she simply needed to assist these dad and mom get by,” mum Ann Wharton stated.

“We’re so happy with her and her brother Simon who volunteered as a dwell donor for Katie as a result of she was too sick for the ready checklist.”

Katie has simply celebrated 5 years since her transplant and was “doing rather well”. She began faculty final November.

Rebecca and her husband Bryan are at dwelling with Bryan Jnr, 8, Katie, 5, and new child Amelia, 6 months.

Haggitt’s care packages have been acquired with large thanks from the dad and mom on the ward.

“They’ve posted their thanks and a few images on our help web page which has been actually beautiful,” Haggitt stated.

Haggitt stated life at Starship with a severely unwell little one was exhausting sufficient with out the restrictions and isolation of lockdown.

“Starship is superb and I had large household help with a roster to look after Katie and her older brother who was at dwelling,” Haggitt stated.

“With lockdown, all of that exterior help is eliminated and it is only one mother or father with the kid the entire time.”

Youngsters on the ward wanted 24-hour care which meant dad and mom couldn’t depart their facet.

“I do know they should be there for his or her little one in order that they keep there and go with out. If you need to dwell off toast for every week you reside off toast for every week. It is what you do on your little one.

“We’ve put some necessities within the care packages but additionally some biscuits and treats to carry their spirits and allow them to know we’re considering of them.”