AUTUMN 2019 / NEWSLETTER #66 The amazing The Family Room Mark your calendar! team at NICU turns five! Events 2019 Page 4 Page 5 Page 7 Our Christchurch House was part of history when Timaru quadruplets Molly, Quinn, Indie and Hudson were born last year. The MacDonald family (including 4-year-old Brooklyn) spent 96 nights with us. VERY PRECIOUS CARGO When Timaru parents Kendall and Joshua MacDonald found out "There was so much anxiety, not knowing anything about Ronald they would have to stay at our Christchurch House, they were McDonald House and being away from home – it was so scary we didn’t want to do it.” apprehensive. Unsurprisingly so – their little family of three was about to become a family of seven, with the impending arrival of Their fears evaporated when they walked into our Christchurch House, which became their ‘home-away-from-home’ for 96 nights. “Staying at New Zealand’s first set of quadruplets in over two decades. the House was such a relief. The team was so amazing and immediately Kendall had been taking the fertility drug clomiphene to help ovulate. made us feel at home,” says Kendall. However doctors were unsure if this caused the pregnancy, or if they Josh says the team helped them enrol Brooklyn in a Christchurch conceived the quadruplets naturally. preschool, and put them at ease. Already overwhelmed by this news, Kendall and Josh were told by “We had no daily living stresses – dinner was cooked almost every night, and the team could help us organise everything we needed.” Timaru Hospital doctors they needed to move to Christchurch with their then 3-year-old son, Brooklyn, so they could be close to specialised We also made some amazing friendships, especially with the other medical care necessary to safely monitor the four babies. At 25 weeks families who had babies in hospital. pregnant Kendall says she was anxious about coming to Christchurch. ...continued on page 2 Keeping families close™ www.rmhsi.org.nz | RonaldMcDonaldHouseSouthIsland | RMHSI There has been a lot of media attention on these precious quadruplets and their family. The MacDonald family recently met the ‘Mother of the Nation’ Hilary Barry. Photo credit: Quad Mum Plus One Instagram. Then on August 15, when Kendall was just over 28 weeks pregnant, she gave birth to four healthy babies – Molly, Quinn, Indie and Hudson. “It was surreal,” recalls Kendall. “I was still a bit out of sorts from the C-section. The doctors had prepared us for the worst, but the babies were born at a healthy weight and we were so happy.” The four precious MacDonald babies then spent time at Christchurch Women’s Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, where they received specialised care, and help learning to feed. “It was always emotional leaving the babies in hospital, but it was so much better being able to stay close to them at Ronald McDonald House.” Then when they were strong enough, the babies were transferred to Timaru Hospital, before the MacDonald family was able to settle their family into a ‘new normal’ at home. This meant a new car, extra support from nannies, and learning to balance feeding, nappy changing, and time for big brother Brooklyn. Telling the quadruplets apart has been a challenge at times, laughs Kendall and Josh. Since their birth just over six months ago, Kendall says Molly, Quinn, Indie and Hudson have defied the odds, and are growing into happy, healthy little individuals. Looking back, Kendall and Josh don’t know what they would have done if the Christchurch House was not available. “We always say we don’t know what we would have done had this place not been available. Especially being so close, it was such a relief,” says Kendall. To the generous good sorts who donate to Ronald McDonald House South Island, Kendall says her family is evidence the giving makes a difference. “Thank you – it really does help to keep families close.” To keep up-to-date with this family’s incredible Thank you to Hazel & Cass journey, follow Photography for sharing ‘Quad Mum Plus this photoshoot of the One’ on Facebook or MacDonald Family Instagram www.hazelandcass.co.nz » House Happenings « 3 PAGE 1 2 Silver Linings #66 | Silver 3 5 extra special was when the Connell family from Hokitika met 1. Our Christchurch House Christmas Party was filled with these amazing West Coast-based supporters. It was so lovely presents, fun, and a Christmas feast with all the trimmings! for the Connell family to see a few friendly faces from home! Our thanks go to Lincoln University for providing such a great spread for our families. 4. We were absolutely thrilled to receive this Christmas gift for families staying with us, from our national partners Ray White 2. "Our 120 nights at Ronald McDonald House were incredibly New Zealand. The local Christchurch offices raised the funds hard but also incredibly supportive. We were so well looked as part of the recent South Island Wine & Food Festival, and we after by everyone that when it came time to leave it was very cannot be more grateful. emotional. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you." Jacinda Panther, mother of Maisie and Louis shared these beautiful words with 5. Lachie’s very own Drive for Good! Thanks to Archibald’s, our team after their stay with us, and we couldn’t help but share houseguest Lachie’s batman dreams came true when he was them with you! able to take a joy ride in a very flash black Porsche. Our thanks go to Archibald’s for choosing us as one of 10 local charities to 3. Recently, Room Sponsors and supporters of the House accelerate in their 100th Birthday campaign. Westland Milk Products, cooked an incredible dinner for families at our Christchurch House. What made this dinner A special relationship: PAGE 4 PAGE OUR TEAM AND NICU SOCIAL WORKERS Social workers based at Christchurch Silver Linings #66 | Silver Women’s Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit play a very special role in caring for families and their precious little ones. Chrissy, Claudine and Margaret are social workers who walk alongside families with a child in the neonatal unit (NICU), offering practical and emotional support for any issues that may arise. NICU provides 24-hour care for newborn babies with a variety of special needs. These include prematurity, surgery, congenital abnormalities and babies who may have been compromised at birth. All newborn babies from around the South Island who require surgery come to NICU, mums need to be close to the hospital to “It is an incredible and nurturing place – making the unit very busy and often full. feed their baby, Ronald McDonald House families would have a much harder journey and the team are always so welcoming and if you guys weren’t around. Our job would be Our Christchurch House team has a very accommodating to our families” so much harder,” says Claudine. close working relationship with the NICU social workers, as a third of the families we Margaret says, “Sadly we are dealing with Despite the hardships these women see support have a baby receiving care in this more complex social issues, “While families families facing on a daily basis, they, like specialised area of the hospital. are dealing with their own problems, they our team, feel privileged to be part of the have the added pressure of having a baby in NICU journey. “To be eligible to stay at the Christchurch intensive care – it can be a real rollercoaster House, families have to live 100 kilometres “It is a real privilege to see the families go of emotions.” That is why Margaret says away from the hospital,” says Chrissy. home with their little ones – we wouldn’t our Christchurch House is like ‘heaven’ for “However we do apply for exemptions under have it any other way.” families when they first arrive. exceptional circumstances, as we know Volunteer Spotlight Every Wednesday for the last three years Karen has volunteered at our Christchurch House, typically found with a vacuum cleaner in hand and a smile on her face. After a car accident left her with a brain injury, Karen took the opportunity to find a way to give back to the community she felt had given so much to her. Since she started volunteering, her awareness of the “I love being charity has increased hugely. involved, the way the “I want to make people more aware of how much Ronald team and volunteers McDonald House has to offer the community.” pull together is Karen is always putting up her hand to offer help, with the amazing. I’ve seen the most recent venture finding her participating in the ASB impact it has on the Christchurch marathon to raise funds for the House. “I love families.” being involved, the way the team and volunteers pull together is Volunteer superstar Karen lends a hand at our amazing. I’ve seen the impact it has on the families.” Christchurch House every Wednesday morning. While this regular volunteer remains modest about her involvement at the House, the team all agree she is a very important part of the day-to-day happenings here. There is one thing that she will not remain quiet over, her encouraging words to anyone else WANT TO BECOME A SUPERSTAR VOLUNTEER LIKE KAREN? thinking of volunteering. We have volunteering opportunities in both “You are helping genuinely real people and if nothing else it makes you feel good.” Karen sums Christchurch and Invercargill. up Ronald McDonald House South Island in one word, inspirational.