Lets support the Holmes Family!

Introducing to you the Holmes Family; Daddy Adrian, Mama Nicole, 4 year old Zac, and little one year old Sienna.

Sienna here is our star of the show.

A month ago, Sienna was involved in a hot-water accident which saw her immediately transferred to Waikato hospital and taken into theatre where her burns were cleaned and dressed . She spent the night sedated in Waikato ICU and then was airlifted (sedated still) to the National Burns Centre at Middlemore Hospital in Auckland. Here she stayed for 2 weeks, being cared for by the fantastic Paeds Ward and Burns Team after her first night in Middlemore's ICU.

Sienna endured both first and second degree burns over 31% of her wee body. It was one of those horrific freak accidents that as parents you hope will never happen...but it did. The outcome has been better than expected with God delivering her from the pain of the burns on day five. Which is just amazing! Her recovery really has been God-blessed, and we are so grateful!

As would be expected, the Holmes family life was heavily disrupted. Adrian and Nicole were both able to stay the first week up there with Sienna, which on the flip side also meant a hard week away from their precious son! Nicole continued on at Middlemore with Sienna while Adrian returned home to care for Zac and to keep Zac’s home and kindy routine somewhat normal for him.

Whilst Sienna and the family are now back home in Tauranga and settling into life’s normal routine, there are some ways in which our larger community might be able to help them adjust and cope.

As Sienna’s skin is still healing, the journey is not yet over. There is still the physical healing process, but also an emotional one (for the whole family).

Because Sienna needs to have her skin unrestricted and moisturised several times a day, the Holmes Family power bill has increased significantly with trying to keep Sienna warm and comfortable during these times. Lets help with that power bill!

However, in addition to a toasty warm house, the Holmes Family truly needs a break. Some time away from home and work life, in which to really reconnect with each other, to breathe and to recover. Time to debrief and unwind from what was a roller-coaster of emotions and practical needs. Mama and Daddy need time to see their children create some happy memories together, memories enough to put the long hospital experience somewhere in the background. We can help with that too!

A little something from the Holmes themselves :

“Right now the emotions run pretty deep. We have tended to just push through, but in the stillness of the night, and in raw moments with God, it has been revealed that there are several ways to heal. Things like a family holiday together, or even the process of decorating the children's bedrooms, or mainly being able to go out and do things together as a family without having to be bound by tight budgets etc. Basically being able to access daily-life things that would aid in our restoration as a family”.

Lets get behind this family and help them cope with the next few months. What may seem like a little to others, will mean a lot to this wonderful Holmes Family.

Thank you, and God bless you New Zealand!Supporting each other is just what we do.