Maddi & Mckenzie family

Ten-year-old Maddi McKenzie is fighting a very rare and aggressive form of childhood brain cancer called DIPG (Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma https://www.defeatdipg.org/ ). For 3weeks, Maddie was misdiagnosed as having an open mucous plug on the back of her throat and was given antihistamine to fix it. Finally, with the slur in her speech not going away and vomiting whenever she swam at school and coming home sick, she was finally referred to Tauranga Hospital and we received the devastating diagnosis on April 4th 2017. Maddie has undergone many tests, treatments, MRI’s, 6 weeks of intense radiation therapy, and is on many medications including strong steroids to try to slow down the progress of this extremely invasive illness.

Maddi now has partial paralysis on the left-hand side and is about to begin using a wheelchair. Unfortunately, the families current rented home is not suitable for wheelchair access and so they are desperate to find a suitable home. The family are trying to raise funds to assist with a deposit for their own home and also to meet other needs that arise with child cancer. Maddi loves being with her family and desperately wants to be settled in a place where they are all comfortable and can all focus on having as much precious time together as possible.

Maddi has had some major hurdles to jump although this is her biggest yet. She refuses to give up and wants to be in her own home. Her family are trying desperately to purchase a home suitable to accommodate her needs. At the moment, her family have had to drop to one wage to care for Maddi’s needs which puts a huge financial stress on the family on top of an already incredibly stressful time.

At the moment Maddi has weekly visits to Tauranga Oncology and every eight weeks has an MRI to monitor progression in the brain stem. She is a true battler and her attitude all the way has been amazing and full of strength.

Thank you so much for supporting us as this very difficult time.