Charity helps with ‘miracle’ MIQ review
A Taranaki charity helped to keep a Kiwi family together at the bedside of their seriously ill daughter in an Australian hospital.
Sarah Devine said she was overwhelmed Gabby’s Starlit Hope, a charity set up by her late 13-yearold daughter, was able to play a part in helping the Diprose family, of Matamata, by bringing their situation to a wider audience.
‘‘It was really like a miracle,’’ Devine said. ‘‘It was amazing.’’
The Diproses were in Melbourne with 12-year-old Kate, who has been receiving specialist cancer treatment, the side effects of which have caused severe neurotoxicity and left her unable to move, speak or see.
The family faced leaving Kate and her mother, Jackie, in Australia in order to take their slot in an isolation facility so they could get back into New Zealand.
Father Marc, brother Fletch and sister Jessie were due to return to New Zealand on Wednesday, December 30, but wanted to stay with Kate until she showed more positive signs of recovery.
However, their application had been turned down by New Zealand’s Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ).
Then, Gabby’s Starlit Hope, a charity created to provide random acts of kindness to oncology kids and their families, got involved.
Sarah Devine believed they helped to play a part in MIQ, under the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, reviewing the case and granting a new emergency allocation on Tuesday.
Devine said she’d spoken to Kate’s mum, Jackie, who had called it a ‘‘Gabby miracle’’, and said she ‘‘had her hand in it’’.
She had heard of the Diproses struggles and decided to share their story on social media.
‘‘I felt sick for them, what they were going through.’’
Devine said the post had been viewed by 110,000 people, shared nearly 1200 times and MPs and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had been tagged.
‘‘It was just like this outpour of support for this family, to help when they’re in such a hard place with Kate.’’
Devine said the change came about through the ‘‘power of positive social media’’ and charity
‘‘It was really like a miracle. It was amazing.’’ Sarah Devine
ambassador and broadcasting star Toni Street’s connections.
‘‘That’s what Gabby’s Starlit Hope is all about.’’
On Tuesday the ministry told Stuff the person assessing the request wasn’t aware of the family’s situation and didn’t have access to the crucial information they needed.
‘‘On behalf of MBIE we wish the family well and apologise for any additional stress incurred as part of this process.’’