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Please help support vibrant & energetic mum, Rebecca, and her family with her stage 4 cancer diagnosis

  • HUMBLE THANKS

      11 May 2023

    My previous update was done in a bit of a panic. I want to now assure everyone that no funds contributed to Rebecca's wellbeing will be used for the driveway.

    Everyone's kindness meant Rebecca has been able to continue ordering vital supplements and having treatments to support her body through the heavier medications. She's also bought a 2nd hand lymphaciser mini tramp which reduces her life-long risk of lymphedema, following her mastectomy. And she’s been able to have the occasional night away alone to process the enormity of everything.

    Many of you will be aware of the extreme stress we've been under, quite apart from our family dealing with the realities of living with terminal cancer.

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/131828728/family-thought-a-terminal-cancer-diagnosis-was-bad-then-came-their-battle-with-insurers

    So, for 8 months now we've been parking at the bottom of our driveway and walking up & down, carrying absolutely everything by hand and using a wheelbarrow. After months of battling with our insurer IAG and EQC, the settlement was just $4k towards the estimated remediation cost of closer to $80k. EQC's refusal to see the injustice of our situation despite all aspects of our situation being covered by what the Act provides for, have resulted in many tears and huge added stress loads on us all.

    We are continuing to fight EQC & IAG to get a fair settlement, but also still trying to sell our caravan and looking into getting a new mortgage so we can fund the repair needed. It has taken a huge amount of energy away from Rebecca focussing on her health, but she still tries a positive attitude (most of the time) and finds joy everyday with the kids and being in nature. She sends a big HUG and heartfelt THANKS to everyone.

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  • A driveway dropout equals 'a slap in the face' by EQC while navigating stage 4 cancer

      6 April 2023
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    Very shortly after the Nelson extreme weather event, when our 200m long, 20m elevation driveway was rendered unusable, Becky was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic cancer. Since then, we have been walking up and down to our cars, in all weathers, carrying shopping, groceries, tired children ... everything you would normally take into and out of your property by car has had to be manually carried up or down - that's tough if you are a healthy person. With Stage4 cancer its torture.

    The weather event left our driveway damaged so badly we can't drive a vehicle over it. The damage was within 60m of the house, so we thought we were covered. Having been made aware of Rebecca's cancer diagnosis, the EQC assessed and advised the job will cost $80,000 to fix.

    They then gave us $4,500 towards it, all because they don't think a primary (and sole) access driveway - that's been there since 1950, and traverses 3 other properties - is important enough to be classed as a higher amenity.

    All the funds that have been raised by Givealittle to help Rebecca with her cancer journey sadly have to be diverted now towards fixing the driveway. The caravan we bought last year with Rebecca's health and de-stressing in mind now has to be sold, and we also have to open a brand new mortgage on the house which was fully paid off before the weather event.

    We now find ourselves in the horrible situation where we need to sell the house in order to pay for the driveway, but we can't sell the house as-is for the amount we would need to move to a better location, and secure enough funds for future health care.

    Put simply, Rebecca could easily succumb to her cancer purely because of the stress this whole situation has dumped on us.

    We are asking again for help from the community and the nation to spare a small donation: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/a-driveway-drop-out-a-slap-in-the-face-by-eqc

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