The Leggett Family

Since Toby was just seven weeks old, the Leggett family had been visiting their local South Island hospital every month or two because of pneumonia and wheezy breathing.

Several years later, on his dad’s birthday – December 13 – Louisa heard something scarily different in Toby’s breathing. “He was rushed to ED, then to paediatrics. Ultrasound and x-rays showed that his lung had collapsed.”

This was just the start of his traumatic journey. Toby was taken 250km to Christchurch Hospital for monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit.

The next day in ICU, Toby was intubated ahead of his first non-invasive surgery in Christchurch and stayed intubated until 30^th December. His medical team placed a drain in his lung which was used to flush out his lungs.  This works in 80% of cases, however it wasn’t successful for Toby. “He was looking pretty critical at that point,” his Mum remembers.

Louisa, Toby’s Mum, was welcomed by the team at Ronald McDonald House South Island. Thanks to RMHC New Zealand she never had to waver from Toby’s care to think about where to stay or what to eat whilst he was receiving medical treatment in hospital.  

In fact, the Leggett Family had already experienced our incredibly generous care and hospitality at Ronald McDonald House Wellington, when Toby’s big sister Charlie was recovering from birth complications.  

Toby needed urgent, invasive surgery in Auckland, but waiting six hours for a medevac flight was too long. While still in Christchurch Hospital he received a thorochotomy – cutting through his little ribs to reach his lung. He could no longer breathe on his own.

In Auckland Louisa discovered that parents cannot stay overnight in children’s ICU, “so we had the use of Ronald McDonald House Auckland, which was amazing. Even under the Covid measures last year, it still felt homely”, said Louisa.  

“The relief from the financial burden was incredible – with not working and having to be away from home for a long time.”

The Ronald McDonald House helped to provide that support … “and all the extras,” Louisa adds. “We were fed … a lot. Meals being popped in our box in the fridge. Or you could nip up and get lunch, which was incredible, because you didn’t have to spend $20 every day in the cafeteria. 

“We would have just been on packaged sandwiches, but at the end of ward time late at night, there is a lot to be said for a hot meal at the House.”

As Christmas approached, Toby was improving, “so on Christmas Eve they decided to try to remove his tube.”

It was the most frightening event of the family’s lives. Toby’s lungs were too fragile.  His throat became dangerously inflamed. “He had to have an emergency procedure to put him under again.”

After six more days unconscious, “Toby came off the ventilator on the 30th of December.” A strong boy, who within a week was fit to fly home. Despite a few lapses, today he is doing great. So is his family, thanks to Ronald McDonald House.

Louisa will always remember how much RMHC New Zealand supported her family. “It’s perfect. You couldn’t ask for more. An amazing building, so close. The staff are wonderful – very empathetic for those going through a very hard time. The food and facilities are incredible. It is a very, very worthwhile cause.”

The O’Leary and Ogden Family

Boys. Lots of boys. Sarah had Matt. Darryl had Max and Sam. Together they blended into such a wonderful family and soon they were expecting the unexpected – identical twins! Two more beautiful boys on the way!

Then Sarah and Darryl learned that they had begun the hardest battle of their lives.

Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) New Zealand have helped them bear the unbearable, by giving Sarah and Darryl the chance to stay at Ronald McDonald Domain House in Auckland.

During pregnancy, Sarah learned her two unborn babies were experiencing TTTS – Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome. TTTS can happen to as many as 1-in-7 sets of identical twins. For some, the baby with increased blood supply and amniotic fluid can develop heart complications.

Sarah and Darryl found this was the case for one of their boys and were warned that he may not survive the pregnancy. If he were to die before being born it could pose a very serious risk for their second twin.

After months of fighting TTTS together, Jacob and Will were born more than ten weeks premature. They were so tiny, both boys needed intensive care, but it was Will who was in the greatest danger.

Mum and Dad were given a sombre warning. “There was a good chance he wouldn’t make it through the next 24 hours,” Sarah said. “That was heartbreaking – but he surprised everybody and made it through.”

It was December 14, less than two weeks until Christmas. Mum and Dad had no energy to find a place to stay or feed themselves. Thanks to RMHC New Zealand, they did not have to even think about such things. They simply took a short walk across the hospital grounds to Ronald McDonald Domain House.

Will’s family were facing an impossible dilemma. He urgently needed heart surgery, but he had to weigh at least 2kg. He was born far lighter than that – just 1269g.

The pressure on his parents was enormous, but thanks to RMHC New Zealand they had a sanctuary. As Sarah says, “It made such a huge difference to Darryl and me. The comfort of the place. Just knowing that we had a really nice spot to lay our heads.”

Being so close to their children means so much to the families we support.

“Like any mother who has been through NICU would know, it’s really hard to walk out of the hospital and leave your babies there. But we were basically still on hospital grounds!”

Closeness was especially important with Will. “He had so many ups and downs. We were getting phone calls at 3 and 4 in the morning because he’d taken a turn. We could be with him in five minutes.”

At 7 days old, Will’s condition went downhill so badly that his parents received their second grim warning. “We were told he was unlikely to make it through the next 24-48 hours.”

“But again, my little trooper pulled through, surprising everybody again.”

By Christmas Eve, Will had managed to gain enough weight for his first heart procedure. A tiny balloon was inflated in his little heart, to get more oxygen around his body.

Little Will kept fighting from Christmas into the New Year, but when he was 27 days old, on January 6, an ultrasound revealed a devastating brain injury. If he lived, he was at very high risk of having severe spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

Sarah and Darryl talked about the best pathway for their little boy. A boy awaiting heart surgery, fighting infections with poor functioning kidneys and now also a severe brain injury.

After many discussions and meetings with hospital specialists, they decided to take him home for end-of-life care – and move Jacob to NICU in their hometown hospital.

The family said goodbye to everyone from the House on January 11, after staying for 28 nights. Their stay, their sanctuary, was made possible by generous donations and fundraising support for RMHC New Zealand.

Back at home, they gathered the family to meet Will and celebrate his life. “We had aunties and uncles and big brothers and grandparents and friends coming to see the twins. Absolutely beautiful. And then we just closed up, switched off our phones.”

Will died a beloved son and little brother, when he was five weeks old.

Four weeks later, Jacob came out of NICU. The family took a lovely trip to celebrate Will, talk about him and make up for the Christmas together the boys had missed. 

“Jacob is doing beautifully,” Sarah says. She is very grateful for the support RMHC New Zealand gave her family. “I don’t know what we would have done without it. It was just an absolute lifesaver for us. Ronald McDonald House meant that we could spend as much time with Will as possible.”

Diagnoses by Room Nights

Antenatal/Prenatal – 5%
Cardiac – 17%
Medical – 3%
Neonatal (NICU) – 17%
Neurology – 10%
Oncology – 15%
Surgical – 7%
Renal – 5%
Other – 16%
Respiratory – 4%

Note: Numbers identified are from Ronald McDonald House Auckland and Wellington programmes. This does not include Ronald McDonald House South Island. 

Diagnoses by Families

Other – 20.2%
Cardiac – 15.7%
Surgical – 13.9%
Neonatal (NICU) – 10.1%
Neurology – 9.8%
Oncology – 7.1%
Antenatal/Prenatal – 6.7%
Respiratory – 6.2%
Renal – 4.3%
Medical – 3%
Psychological (CFU) – 3%

Note: Numbers identified are for Ronald McDonald House programmes in Auckland and Wellington only. This excludes Ronald McDonald South Island.

100,000 Kiwiburgers

From July 29 – August 12, $1 from every Kiwiburger was kindly donated to RMHC New Zealand. McDonald’s set the goal: to reach $100,000. Their customers heard the call-to-action to help support Kiwi families.

McDonald’s Hutt Valley annual Golf Tournament

Chris and Liz Boon and the McDonald’s Hutt Valley team worked tirelessly to make this event one to remember, raising an outstanding $75,000.

Classics at Ōhope

A weekend full of vintage cars, caravans, rock ‘n’ roll, and craft food which raised a huge $15,000. Thank you McDonald’s Whakatāne, Ocean Ford Whakatane and the Ōhope Beach Top 10 Holiday Park.

In-store fundrasiers

McDonald’s Franchisees and crew find all kinds of creative ways to help support RMHC New Zealand, hosting bake sales, sausage sizzles, and raffles within their local communities and restaurants. Each fundraiser, no matter the size – adds up to make a huge difference.

Photo caption: McDonalds Massey Road and Papatoetoe sausage sale and bake sale

Supper Clubs

In 2020, three Franchisee-led Supper Club events were hosted across the country, collectively raising $404,000.

A huge thank you to the Rotorua, Dunedin, and Wellington Supper Club Committees who overcame all of the obstacles of 2020 to support families with a child in hospital.

Despite the challenges COVID-19 was starting to cause, the Rotorua Supper Club organising committee spent months making this event a huge success, raising $158,000.

McDonalds Dunedin ambassadors hosted their 9th Supper Club, with over 650 guests the event raised $168,000 and had an amazing support local model.

The Wellington Supper Club included a cocktail party and auction this year with Ben Atwill from Ray White stepping up to be the auctioneer, raising $78,000.

Photo caption: Justin and Eterei Stonelake at the Dunedin Supper Club

Sponsor a Room Campaign

Two top Ray White agents – Ben Atwill and Brendan Shefford – are hard at work marketing room sponsorship opportunities in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. These 1-3 year sponsorships give individuals, businesses, communities, and family groups a way to purposefully invest in their community.

A Little Ray of Giving

Ray White’s annual ‘A Little Ray of Giving’ calls on local communities to collect Christmas gifts for those in need. Thank you to Ray White Kingsland, Ray White Takapuna, Ray White Ellerslie, Ray White Eastern Group in Auckland, and Ray White Full Circle, Ray White Metro, Ray White Ferrymead in Christchurch – for bringing festive cheer to families with a child in hospital at Christmas.

Photo caption: Ray White Takapuna

Events

Despite a difficult year for fundraising, Ray White offices have once more gone above and beyond. Ray White Whangamatā hosted the eighth annual golf tournament, raising over $14,000. Ray White Manukau was unable to run their breakfast events due to lockdown, so they co-ordinated four Trade Me auctions – including signed Joseph Parker boxing gloves that sold for $750. Ray White Howick’s fashion event raised $15,000 on the runway. Ray White Mount Maunganui & Ray White Papamoa’s pub quiz and charity auction fundraiser ran for the third year in a row – raising $5,000. Thank you Ray White for all your support!

Photo caption: Ray White Howick – Karen Goosman and Wayne Howett

Volunteer Support

Ben Atwill of Ray White Wellington, Chip McCabe from Ray White Kemeys Brothers, and Cameron Brain of Ray White City Realty Group have donated their time and talent to support fundraising events with their excellent auctioneering skills. Larissa Tuhaka from Head Office has also championed our Mission at every opportunity. Thank you!

Photo caption: Ben Atwill at Wellington Supper Club

CHAIR: Mark Conelly 

Mark has held several senior finance positions, including CFO at several large NZ retailers. He has 30 years’ experience in governance roles within the not-for-profit sector (including CanTeen and the Child Cancer Foundation – he was recognised with Life Membership awards with both). He is an Independent Director and Chair for several commercial entities and is the Chair of the largest independent school in NZ. Mark also provides CFO services to a range of businesses, including currently acting as Interim CFO for Trademe Limited. Mark is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and NZ and a Chartered Member of the NZ Institute of Directors.

Dr Liz Edmonds

Liza is a Māori Neonatal Paediatrican and Senior Clinical Lecturer at Kõhatu Center for Hauora Māori and Dunedin School of Medicine at the University of Otago. Clinically she works for Te Whatu Ora Southern in Dunedin. Liza has worked in roles within the Southern rõhe, including clinical Neonatology, General Paediatrics and research in perinatal health and wellbeing. She is the mother of 3 teenagers and married to a tane from Oamaru and enjoys being part of her wider whanau and community.

Liza passionately cares for whānau with health needs and supports Ronald MacDonald House Charity in their efforts to support whānau during their health care journeys no matter where they come from.

Ata Te Kanawa 

Ata Te Kanawa is a Senior Communications and Engagement Advisor in the Māori Economic Development Unit of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment. She is the founder of Miromoda – The Indigenous Māori Fashion Apparel Board and the former independent publisher of Tu Mai magazine and Chair of her whānau and trust. Ata is actively involved in the wider Māori community and committed to fostering iwi engagement with RMHC New Zealand.

Ben Rose

A proud father of three, Ben has experienced first-hand the difference being close by a hospital can make to both the patient and broader family. Ben founded and runs Australasian sales growth consultancy The Growery. An experienced marketing and sales executive, Ben’s career has seen him driving the brand and growth strategy for many brands, including Tourism New Zealand, ASB, Adidas, and Nissan. A previous sponsor/partner of RMHC New Zealand, Ben is delighted to contribute to the mission of the organisation

Julie Neilsen

Julie is an ex-school teacher and business owner. Julie is currently employed as the Family Support Manager for Heart Kids NZ and is a parent rep on the ANZ Fontan Registry. She has volunteered with several Not-for-profit organisations in a variety of roles including counsellor, trainer, committee member, and Board member.

Malcolm Swan

Malcolm (Mal) Swan is General Counsel for McDonald’s Restaurants NZ and has held many senior legal roles within large corporations and law firms over the past 20 years. Mal is a current chair of the Advertising Standards Codes Committee and is a past school trustee and PTA Board member. Mal is committed to providing better outcomes for children and is actively involved in junior soccer and basketball.

Rosemary Escott

Rosemary is the Nurse Manager at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Wellington Hospital which as well as managing a 40 bed Intensive Care Unit involves overseeing neonatal surgery, an active transport team, and education. She is a member of several national reviews and reference groups for neonatal services. In addition to her clinical roles, she has held a variety of roles in community groups and charities including chairperson for a private kindergarten.

Sam Maharaj

Sam owns and operates several McDonald’s franchises in Auckland with his wife Angela. His company, Maharaj Corporation Ltd, has received the prestigious Golden Arch Award for the top 1% performing franchisees globally as well as Franchisee of the Year award. Sam supports a number of community groups & youth sports teams and is a former Chairman of the McDonald’s Franchisee Group.

Scott Brown

Scott has held several senior strategy and finance roles across the Food & Agri-Business, Media, Energy and Telecommunications sectors over the last 20 years. Scott is delighted to support the RMHC New Zealand mission of supporting New Zealand families when their child is in hospital.  Scott is also a Chartered Member of the Chartered Accountants Australia and NZ and a Chartered Member of the NZ Institute of Directors.