When Hawke’s Bay boy Aaron Crocombe hurt his knee jumping off playground equipment earlier this year, his parents thought it was a simple injury.
It turned out to be leukaemia.
Candy Crocombe and her husband Peter spent weeks taking Aaron to the doctor and physiotherapist, trying to understand why the pain after the playground incident wouldn’t go away.
Every test came back clear until Aaron sneezed and hit his nose on his knee.
“That started a nosebleed that went on for three hours. The doctors told us it would settle down, but it never really did.”
Despite multiple doctor visits, no one could explain what was going on and Candy decided to call their paediatric nurse for advice.
“She told us to go to the hospital immediately ... that phone call changed everything.”
The family are speaking out about their tough year to raise awareness of one of their lifelines, Ronald McDonald House New Zealand (RMHC NZ), which kept them together and provided comfort in dark times.
Demand for the charity, which provides free accommodation and support for families with a child in hospital, has grown so sharply over the past few years that it has had to rely on off-site accommodation when its houses are full.
At Hawke’s Bay Hospital in Hastings, Aaron underwent constant testing as the medical team tried to uncover the cause.
But eventually, doctors decided more specialised testing was needed and despite the national children’s hospital being full, arrangements were made for the family to fly to Christchurch.
“The day they diagnosed Aaron with leukaemia – even before the tests were conclusive – we were sent to Christchurch,” Candy said.
“That’s where our cancer journey truly began.”
During those first six to eight critical weeks in Christchurch, the Crocombe family found comfort and stability through RMHC NZ.
Later, when Aaron’s ongoing treatment required weekly trips to Auckland, they stayed at one of RMHC’s Auckland Houses, Grafton Mews – which quickly became a home away from home.
“Aaron has autism, ADHD, and sensory needs, which makes hospital visits and being away from home incredibly difficult. The constant changes to his routine and environment can be overwhelming for him,” Candy said.
“Without Ronald McDonald House, we simply couldn’t have managed Aaron’s treatment.
“We wouldn’t have been able to afford accommodation for all the trips we’ve had to make – and there are still more to come.
“Having this support has meant we can focus on Aaron, it’s given us the space to be together as a family, to breathe, and to keep going.”
RMHC NZ chairman Ben Rose said they were preparing for one of the busiest holiday seasons yet, with surging demand for family accommodation pushing its houses close to capacity well before Christmas.
He said over the past couple of years, rapid population growth and improvements in healthcare research had led to increased demand for paediatric health services.
“The number of families needing support has significantly increased and we’ve reached a point where we may not be able to accommodate every family that needs our support, as we simply don’t have enough rooms.”
During last year’s holiday period (December 1, 2024 to January 31, 2025), RMHC NZ provided 6650 nights of support to 822 families.
On Christmas Day alone, 86 families spent the holiday at a Ronald McDonald House.
“No family wants to be at a hospital over Christmas, but we do our best to support every eligible family so they can spend their holidays in comfortable accommodation, near their child, with all the basics taken care of.”
With demand rising and the costs of both on-site and off-site accommodation increasing, RMHC NZ is calling on New Zealanders to help ensure no eligible family is turned away this Christmas.
“To keep every family close to their child this Christmas, we need the support of generous Kiwis.
“A donation means a family will have somewhere to stay when they need it most.”