The Minns family, Waikato
Tripping over a dog lead was a mixed blessing for four year old Shanaya Minns. While it wasn’t at all fun to fall over, it made mum Sue and dad Scott aware that Shanaya was sore down the side of her body.
Sue and Scott were quick to take Shanaya to their local GP who found a lump in her side and diagnosed Shanaya as having a wilms tumour — a type of cancer of the kidney.
On that day in October 2003 the Minns family’s world was turned upside down. Within 24 hours of diagnosis the Minns had taken Shanaya from the comforts of their Hamilton home to Auckland’s Starship hospital for treatment and what would soon become their ‘home away from home’ for the next six months — Ronald McDonald House Auckland. Sue notes “all Waikato families would be at a loss without Ronald McDonald House, it’s not really viable to drive up and down everyday — it would be a nightmare”.
Shanaya underwent surgery immediately to remove her kidney and was a brave girl as she received chemotherapy over the following months. Sue and Shanaya stayed at Ronald McDonald House Auckland, with dad Scott and her older brother and sister often staying at weekends and holidays. Sue says “Ronald McDonald House allowed for the other kids to be a part of it as well and for us all to be together, otherwise it would destroy the family”.
In February 2006 during a routine check up another tumour was found in Shanaya’s chest — the cancer had returned. Shanaya and family once again returned to Auckland where she received key hole surgery to remove the tumour. Advice for treatment from the US was aggressive chemotherapy, this time Shanaya had her own new treatment protocol.
The Minns family grew over the years and having Ronald McDonald House meant that the whole family could come up for visits and stays, including siblings Samantha, Ashley and Alex.
A happy 9-year-old Shanaya is now back home with her family in Hamilton and is doing very well. She’s loving being back at her old school, surrounded by all her wonderful friends. Shanaya now has 4-monthly checkups at Waikato hospital and her results continue to give the ‘all clear’.
The RMH Auckland Trust funds and governs Ronald McDonald House Auckland (48 rooms), the Ronald McDonald House Family Room (13 short stay critical care rooms) in Starship Hospital and RMHA St Martins (16 offsite apartments). It is a registered community charitable trust comprised of the following partners: Auckland District Health Board, Child Cancer Foundation, Heart Children, The Rotary Club of Downtown Auckland, Ronald McDonald House Charities and 2 community representatives. The House, Family Room and St Martins provide a ‘home away from home’ for over 3,000 families of children with life-threatening illnesses each year. The Trust through its staff and partnerships actively fundraises throughout New Zealand to achieve the $3,000,000 p.a. it needs to run the facilities and support its families. Charity Registration number: CC23591