New mother had ‘nowhere to go’

Six months pregnant when November’s magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck, the force threw Leanne Taylor across the room.

Isolated on the family’s 10,000-acre sheep-and-beef farm high up Inland Kaikoura Rd with no cellphone coverage or power, and with roads closed, she knew she needed help.

‘‘I realised I was hurt. I broke my tail bone and did a lot of damage to the placenta area, so I didn’t know if I’d hurt the baby.’’

Her Hanmer Springs-based brother, Mickey, flew in by helicopter and took her to Kaikoura Hospital, where she was airlifted to Christchurch Hospital for three days.

The early-childhood teacher had no job, no home – and the farm’s historic homestead, cottage and shearers quarters were unusable.

With husband Marcus living in a tent while he struggled to keep the ‘‘ruined’’ farm going, Leanne went to live with family.

Just before Christmas, Leanne was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and admitted to Christchurch Hospital. As her condition deteriorated, Indiana was born three days later, 12 weeks early. She was their first child.

‘‘Ronald McDonald House came to the rescue and I will always be indebted to them,’’ Leanne said. ‘‘Without them I would have been absolutely buggered. I had nowhere to go.’’

Now the couple are renting a log cabin at Mt Lyford and recently bought a relocatable cottage, which had been put on the farm. They were waiting for power to be connected.

The Ronald McDonald House street collection was last Friday. Leanne organised the Kaikoura street appeal, where volunteers raised $1720.

‘‘Its amazing how many people from Kaikoura have used Ronald McDonald House in the past,’’ Leanne said. ‘‘I’m very, very proud of them for helping out.’’

Donations are still being accepted online at Ronald McDonald House or Givealittle.