Help our beautiful girl to get the surgery she needs to treat her AVC's and get her back to enjoying the life she loved
Hamilton, Waikato
For a year – since a few weeks before her 13th birthday - Amelia has relied on food fed through a tube to keep her alive.
But, over time, her tube feeds began to decline and she could no longer tolerate anything going into her stomach.
Five months ago, on New Year’s Eve, Amelia’s health further deteriorated and she was admitted to Waikato Hospital where she remains today. She is now fed by nutrition delivered intravenously directly to her heart and a small amount by tube into her small intestine. Her left leg is immobile which has left her bedbound and unable to walk since January.
The pain is relentless.
Amelia has been diagnosed with multiple abdominal vascular compressions that cause issues of blood flow, pressure and pain. The condition is rare and options for treatment in New Zealand are limited.
She needs to travel to Germany, where surgeons can correct the compressions. Other New Zealanders who have had the surgery report good results.
Maddy, who has spent all but a few nights of the past five months sleeping by her daughter’s hospital bed while her husband Joe manages the care of the couple’s two sons, says the New Zealand medics have been wonderful.
“But they can only do so much. This is our only chance to give our beautiful girl a chance for a normal, pain-free life again. No 13-year-child should be faced with having to accept this as how her life is now. We MUST try everything we can to get her back to eating, walking, dancing & living the life she was 12 months ago”
I am Maddy's sister and Amelia's aunty. I have watched Amelia & the whole family fight so hard this year. She is a talented dancer, pianist, lover of all things science, and she needs to get back to school with her friends and doing the things she loves
Funds will cover the costs of travel, surgical fees and accommodation in Germany for the four-six weeks post-surgery as Amelia recovers. Any funds remaining will go towards follow up support to aid her recovery learning to walk again when we return home.
2 weeks down! 19 June 2025
We’ve been home for two weeks tomorrow! It’s all a bit of a blur, and adjusting to life with a medically complex child has been tough. We’re slowly relying less on alarms and getting into a more settled routine.
The hardest part has been the dependency — Amelia needs help with almost everything due to her limited mobility. Even simple daily tasks require assistance, and I know it’s frustrating for her not being able to do things on her own.
Our days revolve around pumps and medications, but in the short windows where she’s disconnected, we’ve managed small outings that have been so good for her — from her brother’s school production to a hair appointment and even a quick visit to Northern Health School for a science fix. These little moments of normal are what we missed most in hospital. The pain still kicks in fast, but for a while, she’s distracted.
Being home has been the best thing for her mental health.
We continue to be absolutely blown away by people’s kindness. From donations to our Givealittle, to auction nights, motocross events, movie screenings, fruit stalls, and school fundraisers — it’s more than we could have ever imagined.
To everyone who has supported us in any way: thank you. We are so grateful. xxxx
Thank you!
Thank you Damon!
Thank you!
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