Support Amanda and Baby Luca

On the 10th of March 2017, Amanda's water broke. This is a scary moment for any woman, but more so for Amanda, because she was only 26 weeks pregnant (full term is 40 weeks). She arrived at Christchurch hospital and was told she would have to remain in care until her baby boy could be safely born. Here they could offer antibiotics to prevent infection and steroids to help her baby's lungs develop.

Amanda was then told that the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Christchurch Women's Hospital, where her premature baby would need to be cared for, was full. She would be sent to Dunedin Hospital where she would have a c-section a week later.

This meant that Amanda would have no choice but to leave the support of her husband and family, but the hardest part for any mother - she would need to leave her beautiful 10 month old baby girl McKenna behind in Christchurch, not knowing how long it would be until she could return home.

Having a premature baby is terrifying, even more so, delivering in a city where you don't know anyone, without your husband (Keni was at home looking after McKenna).

On the 15th March 2017 baby Luca Alexander Matagi was born by C-section at 26 weeks old. He is currently being cared for in the NICU at Dunedin Hospital. At this stage he is a tiny tot, but doing well.

Amanda and Keni are the sort of people who just get on with things when life throws them curve balls, however, many of their friends have asked how they can donate to make life a little easier for them over the next few weeks until Luca is well enough to travel back home to Christchurch. I have created this page for those friends and anyone else who would like to help.