Siblings’ brave shave to help after cancer fight

Manaia Huntley was just 7 years old when doctors discovered a brain tumour.

The brave youngster underwent surgery and rounds of chemotherapy and radiation to shrink an egg-sized growth.

Now fully recovered Manaia, 9, his brother, Taika, 5, and sister, Tui, 8, have vowed to help the charities who supported him at his lowest ebb.

The Seddon-based trio are set to have their head shaved to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Christchurch, The Child Cancer Foundation and counselling service I Am Hope.

“I had horrible treatment that made me really sick and I totally lost my hair but we had lots of help from these amazing organisations,” Manaia says.

“I was thinking about it [helping] for a couple of weeks as I wanted to repay them. I told mum at the dinner table and then Taika and Tui wanted to help too.”

Treatment for the tumour meant months away from home at Christchurch and Nelson Hospitals as well as Starship Children's Hospital in Auckland.

Mania spent 80 days at Ronald McDonald House in Christchurch and the kind-hearted Seddon School pupil and his siblings are keen to give back.

The whole family, including dad Tahu Huntley, were able to be with him during treatment, with Tui and Taika spending time with their brother regularly.

Tui says that she loved being at the house and, alongside her brothers, enjoyed the home baking and sweet treats on offer.

“I made friends with lots of other children there and got to do lots of fun things, it’s a really nice place.”

For Laura, it is great to see her eldest son feeling great again.

“He had been off colour for months and had been seen by doctors and had blood tests but nothing showed up.

“I just let him sleep as he’d been so tired but then I struggled to wake him and then when I did, he just stared through me as if I weren’t there.

“He had a scan done at Wairau Hospital and was flown up to Starship at 3am.

“I’m super proud of them all but especially Manaia as when he finished treatment he wasn’t in a good place but is better now and wanting to help others.”

The Child Cancer Foundation provide personalised support to each family through a one-to-one connection.

They also help with the big things like emotional, social and practical support, Laura says.

I Am Hope and aims to promote positive change around mental health throughout New Zealand, and fund private care and counselling for young people stuck-in-the-mud on waiting lists.

“I Am Hope funded counselling session to help Manaia to process what had happened and to provide strategies for dealing with the emotional long-term challenges of cancer treatment.

“Any donation you can give to support the kids three chosen charities would mean the world to them.”

The shave is scheduled to take place in June with time and place to be confirmed.

Manaia says losing his hair again doesn’t worry him.

“I know what it feels like, I could just pull big handfuls out; I’m not nervous as I know it’s the right thing to do.”

To donate visit: givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/three-shaved-heads-for-three-amazing-charities