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2Sept19
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Starship is more than a children's hospital in Auckland. The Starship National
Air Ambulance is New Zealand's only paediatric intensive care unit in the sky
OUR SICKEST KIDS
A lifeline for
C
ritically ill kids all deserve the
best possible chance, wherever
they are in New Zealand, but it
costs $1.5 million a year to keep Starship's
life-saving National Air Ambulance
service running. Without donations this
vital service could not continue.
Here we share the stories of four brave
Kiwi kids who were critically ill or injured
but are now able to live fun-fi lled lives,
thanks to the Starship Air Ambulance, its
crew and Starship's expert level of care.Ethan Zakeri, eight
FLOWN FROM FIJI
Ethan and his family had just arrived at an
offshore island retreat in Fiji when he got
stuck in an unprotected pool fi lter trying
to retrieve his beach ball. His mother
Monica desperately tried to get him out,
but by the time he was extracted he was
already badly injured.
Wrapped in a towel, Ethan was
transferred by boat and helicopter to the
mainland, where the hospital gave him
urgent surgery. Meanwhile, the Starship
National Air Ambulance launched a
retrieval mission. Ethan’s life hung in the
balance, but the specialist and highly
trained retrieval team managed to stabilise
him and ensure he was well enough to
make the transfer fl ight to Auckland.
His parents were able to fl y back with
Ethan, and are truly grateful for the
Starship Air Ambulance and the multiple
teams at our national children's hospital
who have played a part in Ethan’s long
recovery. “They did save my son’s life.
If it wasn’t for them he wouldn’t be here,”
says Monica.Matilda Kersjes, 11
FLOWN FROM HASTINGS
In the middle of the night, just hours after
being diagnosed with leukaemia at her
local hospital, seven-year-old Matilda's
kidneys were shutting down, and she
needed urgent dialysis and treatment.
When Starship's Air Ambulance crew
arrived, they found her in a critical
condition so worked at speed to connect
her to life-saving equipment that would
ensure her safe transportation to Starship.
Matilda's mother Fiona recalls, "They
were so caring and kind, but also very
professional and effi cient. They knew
how to deal with a family in crisis."
At Starship, tests revealed a large
tumour on Matilda's chest, but she needed
to go on dialysis before beginning one
year of intensive chemotherapy for
the cancer. Now, nearly two years
post-treatment, there's no
stopping her – she signs up
for every activity she can.
In the future, she'd like
to become a doctor.Harri Brown, fi ve
FLOWN FROM CHRISTCHURCH
When Harrison (Harri) was born, fi rst-
time parents Mel and Rod didn’t even
get to hold him, as the medical team
unexpectedly whisked him away.
Diagnosed with a critical aortic stenosis
with severe left ventricle dysfunction,
Harri needed urgent heart surgery, and
a life-saving air ambulance fl ight to
Starship was his only chance. Mel and
Rod named him, took some photos,
and touched his little hand through the
incubator before he took off. Mel, still
recovering from birth, arrived at Starship
the following day. When told of Harri's
chances for survival, her world fell apart.
"I told him that I loved him very much.
Then they took him away.”
Harri was just 29 hours old when he
underwent open heart surgery. The
surgeon successfully widened Harri’s
heart valve from 3mm to 5mm – a
procedure that takes incredible skill
and precision. Harri was then put onto
a heart and lung bypass machine for 72
hours and remained on a ventilator for
three days. Seven days after he was born,
his parents fi nally got to cuddle him.
Harri is now a thriving fi ve-year-old,
fearless and full of energy, with a great
sense of humour and a lot of empathy
for others.Jasmine Curran, 10
FLOWN FROM THE BAY OF ISLANDS
At the age of fi ve, Jasmine suffered
a cardiac arrest and slipped from
a boat in a remote part of the Bay of
Islands. Her father shouted for help, and
an emergency-trained nurse swam
to the boat and performed 45 minutes of
CPR. After about 15 minutes, a defi brillator
from a local fi re station arrived and two
boys swam it over. With a low tide, there
was just enough beach for a helicopter
to land, and Jasmine was fl own to
Whangarei Hospital. Soon the Starship
National Air Ambulance was on its way
and Jasmine was prepared for a life-
saving fl ight to Auckland.
"I can remember the moment when the
doors fl ew open and the pilots, doctorsand nurses arrived. They were like knights
in armour ... for the fi rst time there was
a chance she'd make it," recalls Jasmine's
dad Simon. "It was like watching a
symphony orchestra."
Jasmine now has a defi brillator and
is monitored daily, but she recently
completed a cross country run. "She's
amazing," says Simon. "She's amazing
because Starship was amazing. "