|
| The inaugural Ticket to Hope visit to Queenstown in April 2005 set the scene for an outstanding campaign, which provides young children and their parents with the holiday of a lifetime, and raises significant funds for Cure Kids. |
 |
Each Ticket to Hope costs $10,000 and $9,500
goes into medical research into children’s illnesses and the
remainder funds a Queenstown holiday weekend.
Nine children from around New Zealand,
suffering from illnesses ranging from cystic fibrosis to kidney
disease were selected for the first Ticket to Hope.
“The weekend exceeded all our expectations,” says Cure
Kids general manager Thelma French. “ We have always been
passionate about what we are doing and the children and parents
involved reinforced that for us.”
“All these young children have is hope that a cure will be
found for their illness to give them a better quality of life. After
experiencing a weekend with these nine youngsters we are even more
determined to raise more money to help the necessary research happen.”
The weekend created some special friendships
and the parents involved praised the contribution from the sponsoring
organisations – Dunlop Targa, Icap NZ, Rotary Clubs of New
Lynn, Dunedin, and Timaru and the Crosby Bates Trust.
For the parents, Ticket to Hope was a
never to be forgotten unique experience.
“Moneka has enjoyed herself 24/7.
She hasn’t stopped smiling even when she’s asleep. These
past few days I haven’t heard her complain about her illness,
not once.” - Sonia Prasad.
“As a single working parent it would have taken so
long for me to save for a holiday like this, in fact it probably
never would have happened for Codie and I.” – Sarah
Mocock.
“As a parent to see the sheer delight Keegan has expressed
on this journey has been very heartening. One word describes my
feelings- magnificent!” - Mary Pompallier.
“Trent was diagnosed with leukaemia
last April and has not been to school since then. It was lovely
to see him come out of his shell with all the other children who
were lucky to be selected for this amazing opportunity.” –
Yvette Dewar
And for the kids it was a chance to forget
their illnesses for a couple of days and get out and have fun.
“I had such a good time on the Duck. When I get my licence
I am going to come back and drive the Duck.”- Sam
“When I went to Queenstown on the
Qantas plane it was my first time. Oh wow I never wanted to get
off. But I am glad I did cause Queenstown was so much fun.”
Ayla
Cure Kids would like to thank Accor( Novotel
Gardens Hotel), Qantas and Queenstown businesses Real Journeys,
Kawarau Jet, Skyline Enterprises, the Queenstown Duck, Subway, Gourmet
Express, Queenstown Limousines, John Perriam and Shrek, Wakatipu
High School, Budget Rent A Car and Digital Film Unit for their support
in making Ticket to Hope such an exceptional success.
Lana Cockroft backs Cure Kids Research
Television personality Lana CocKroft is one
of Cure Kids' most active and high profile ambassadors and
after suffering a very severe illness is aware, more than ever,
of the significance of medical research.
Lana escorted the first Ticket to Hope children to Queenstown in
April and spoke publicly of the frightening illness which struck
her while in Fiji last year.
 “I
felt incredibly bad when I arrived back in New Zealand. I was
rushed into hospital suffering from Streptococcal A toxic shock
syndrome, a rare blood poisoning disease.”
Lana was placed in intensive care in a self induced coma while
her body began to shut down.
“I lost the use of my kidneys and both lungs. The pain was
so bad I could hardly stand it. It was a horrible disease.”
But the upside was that Lana’s blood was used to develop
a serum, which will be released worldwide, to help people who contract
the syndrome to survive the critical first 14 days.
 Thankfully
Lana has made a full recovery, less than a year after the frightening
attack. The experience has given her a real insight into the importance
of research, to help discover preventions and even cures, for young
New Zealanders.
“Research is all about preventing pain and death and looking
forward to the future. Behind all the campaigns and fun weekends
which Cure Kids organises for the children, there is a lot of money
being raised and invested in research for the future of our children.
It is that investment which I am so keen to support.”
Cure Kids thanks our generous Ticket to Hope sponsors, who help
us create the magic for these children.
|
