DEDICATED 365 DAYS TO CHARITY

In November last year, Danielle Porteous made a promise to herself that 2019 would be about helping others. She even set herself a goal of raising $10,000 for Mothers Helpers, a charity for mums suffering from antenatal and postnatal anxiety and depression.

“It’s a charity close to my heart, as I struggled with my own postnatal depression that wasn’t diagnosed for such a long time,” 26-year-old Danielle tells.

When Danielle gave birth to daughter Aida eight years ago, the new mum went completely off the rails. She soon found herself involved in drugs and unable to look after her girl, who went to live with her grandparents.

“I turned my life around with the help of a few people who really believed in me and I’m so incredibly happy to have Aida back at home. So I felt I was now at a point in my life where I wanted to help others and give back,” says Danielle, who also works for the Salvation Army.

First up, she started training to tackle an 86km bike ride from Rotorua to Taupo, which she completed in March. “It was such hard work, but so worth it,” she recalls. “It felt like such an achievement.”

Danielle, who is now also mum to two-yearold Caelan, held fundraising events, raffles and even did online dares to raise money. “I jumped into this horrible, stinky lake in Rotorua to raise cash,” she laughs. “I also zip-lined though a ravine in Queenstown.”

Danielle’s charity work hasn’t gone unnoticed. She was one of eight people named a Local Hero by Kiwibank in her hometown of Rotorua in mid-November.

“I couldn’t believe I’d been nominated, let alone won. It made my year,” she says.