Please help my granddaughter
Hello
As a concerned grandparent, I have been on a mission for the last month to get as many people as possible to sign the above petition - for funding a miracle drug, Spinraza, for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) in New Zealand.
SMA is the childhood version of Motor Neurone Disease and is the leading genetic killer of children under 2. One in every 10,000 babies born have SMA - and there are approximately 25 of these children in New Zealand.
My granddaughter, Natalie, was brought up in Kiwi Road and Seacliffe Avenue, went to Belmont and Bayswater Kindy and Vauxhall School. She has SMA and is currently living in Australia, where they started funding the drug last year. She finished the loading doses just before Christmas, and she is now able to do small things like lifting a cup, which she couldn’t do previously. More importantly, if continued, it will give her a normal lifespan.
Natalie wishes to return to New Zealand to study engineering at Auckland University but SPINRAZA IS NOT FUNDED IN NEW ZEALAND. If Pharmac don’t agree to start funding it in the next 18 months, Natalie will not be able to return without literally risking her life.
This is not for a drug we hope will work... it’s a drug that is proven to work. I am not asking you to do this just for Natalie. It is vital for the SMA community as a whole that funding is granted urgently. Miracles have been happening to children in America, Australia and most of Europe.
If you could take 2 minutes to sign the petition, I would be extremely grateful, and it would be a massive help if you could share this with others. We have until the 9th of April to get as many signatures as possible!
www.parliament.nz...
Thank you
Judy Lawrence
Poll: Do you set New Year’s resolutions?
🎉 2026 is almost here!
We’re curious ... how do you welcome it?
Do you set resolutions, follow special traditions, or just go with the flow?
-
10.2% Yes! New Year, New Me
-
20% Yes - but I rarely stick to them
-
69.8% Nah - not for me
Witnesses sought in relation to mass disorder on K-Road Auckland
Police are appealing to the public for any footage they may have of the mass disorder that occurred on Karangahape Road in Auckland in the early hours of Sunday 28 December.
Emergency services were called to the disorder around 3.41am where it is estimated around over 50 people were present.
A Police investigation is underway after there were three serious assaults on and around Karangahape Road during the mass disorder.
A portal has been set up to allow the public to upload any footage they have of the disorder and the serious assaults.
The portal is https://dahr.nc3.govt.nz/
Police have arrested one person but are asking for help to identify and locate others involved.
• Around 4:15am there was a serious assault outside the Crown Bar on Queen Street.
A 33-year-old man received serious injuries and was hospitalised.
The offender is still unknown, and the Police file number is 251228/4647.
• Around 4:30am there was another serious assault on a Cobden Steet just off Karangahape Road.
A 27-year-old man received serious injuries and was hospitalised.
The offender is still unknown, and the Police file number is 251228/4462.
• Around 5am there was third serious assault at the Mobil Service Station on the corner or Karangahape Road and Ponsonby Road.
A 46-year-old man received serious injuries and was hospitalised.
A 21-year-old man has been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
He has been bailed to appear in court again on 16 January 2026.
The Police file number is 251228/4774.
Police would like to speak to anyone who has witnessed or filmed the assaults.
Witnesses can call Police directly on 105.
Please quote one of the above file numbers.
Scam Alert: Fake information regarding December Bonuses from MSD
The Ministry of Social Development is reporting that fake information is circulating about new ‘December bonuses’ or ‘benefit increases’
If you get suspicious communication, please contact Netsafe.
Loading…
