The Bliek Family, Ngaruawahia
One of more recent longer stay Waikato families have been the Blieks from Ngaruawahia. Daniel Bliek was diagnosed with leukaemia back in October 2003, when he was just 15 years old. Upon hearing this shocking news, he and his family — Dad Gerry and Brother Josh — immediately upped and left their home, travelling to Auckland to begin Daniel’s treatment.
Since Daniel’s diagnosis the Blieks have made Ronald McDonald House Auckland their ‘home away from home’ for many more than 20 visits. When asked what the House has meant to him and his family, Dad Gerry says “It’s been absolutely great, I’m so grateful. We spent so much time up there as we needed somewhere to stay that was close to Daniel. If the House wasn’t there we would have really struggled financially and also all that driving would have taken its toll on us when we were already going through enough as it was.”
Their first stay lasted three weeks. During the 14 months that followed, Daniel, Josh and Gerry returned to Auckland each fortnight for 5-6 days at a time, again needing the shelter and support of the House. These visits reduced to monthly overnight stays for 12 months, after which point Daniel went into remission and his treatment ceased.
In April 2006, just four months after his remission began, Daniel relapsed. He was told that in order to survive he had to undergo a bone marrow transplant. Thankfully, Daniel’s brother Joshua was a donor match so the bone marrow transplant took place in December 2006, when he and his family remained in Auckland for another two months while Daniel recovered.
Although in remission, Daniel was at high risk of relapsing due to his type of leukaemia. He and his Dad remained on fortnightly overnight visits to Starship and Ronald McDonald House Auckland which continued until such time that his specialists felt Daniel could safely continue his check ups back at Waikato Hospital.
Daniel and his family last stayed with us in February 2007, though they have visited with us on their frequent trips to Auckland. Daniel continued to receive check ups and the medical attention he needed from Waikato Hospital.
For a while life returned to normal for the Blieks, but sadly last year Daniel’s cancer returned. As all attempts at beating his cancer had been exhausted there was nothing more doctors could do, Daniel filled the last nine months of his life with ‘peak experiences’ — he went skiing, travelled overseas for the first time to Australia with his Dad and brother, went skydiving, bought himself a ‘ute’ (which he brought up to Auckland to show us), moved into the family ‘granny flat’, jumped off the sky tower and many more daredevil pursuits.
Daniel passed away on 18th September 2008.
