Starship patient DJ Taylor is supporting the Star Jump for Starship competition. Photo/SUpplied
Just days after his ninth birthday DJ Taylor found himself in the car on the way to Starship, his mum trying to hide tears as she drove while his older brother assured them everything was going to be alright.
DJ had been having fevers on and off for a few days and wasn't quite himself. His mum, Megan, took him to the doctor suspecting glandular fever.
She was told it was just a virus but she insisted on a blood test.
About 10.30pm that night she got a phone call that changed the Epsom family's life in an instant.
"They rang and said you need to go to Starship. He's got cancer," the mother of 10 told the Herald.
"It was just a bolt out of the blue."
Doctors confirmed DJ had leukaemia and would need multiple rounds of chemotherapy.
He spent the first two or three months of his treatment confined to hospital, violently ill after he contracted a lung infection. His chemotherapy had to be put on hold until he was better.
That was October. Now, things are looking more positive.
He's been allowed to go home and is almost halfway through his last major course of chemotherapy. After that he will start on maintenance treatment to make sure the cancer is totally gone.
"He's a really positive kid. He didn't dwell too much on how sick he was," Megan said. "He does realise that things can change in an instant. He understands that not everything is good some days."
But despite continuing to fight his own battle, DJ was determined to help the Starship Foundation's Star Jump for Starship appeal which kicks off today.
"He fell in love with the Starship Foundation. They have been a big support. DJ just loves the staff up there. When we are going in for treatment he always goes up there. He has his own uniform. He loves helping them."
DJ helped the staff write letters and do their scanning. "He tells people he has a job," Megan said.
The appeal encourages people to submit photos and videos of them doing star jumps to show their support for Starship so DJ was determined to do something special. The foundation organised for him to do the Auckland Harbour Bridge Climb and get a star photo at the top.
Asked why he wanted to support the foundation DJ told the Herald: "I've been going up there a lot and it's like a job to me and this helps them a lot."
"They give me stuff on Christmas and they help other kids and they also deliver fruit to the wards."
Megan said the Starship Foundation went out of its way to help all the families in the hospital.
"When DJ's in hospital they always take the time to come down and see him and bring him a puzzle or something to do," she said. "They help him so he likes helping them."
They also kept in contact with the family as outpatients to see if there was anything they could do to help, she said.
Chief executive of the Starship Foundation Brad Clark said he expected Kiwis to pull out their best moves in support of the national children's hospital.
"Most New Zealanders know someone who has been touched by Starship in some way and Star Jump for Starship is all about Kiwis star jumping to show support for our national children's hospital and help celebrate our 25th year," he said.
"We're anticipating some cool, creative and uniquely Kiwi star jump photos and videos being uploaded and shared on social media and we're letting the public decide their favourite. We would love to see some that showcase New Zealand and tell a story about which part of New Zealand you come from."
From today New Zealanders can upload star jump photos and videos at www.starjumpforstarship.co.nz or on Instagram using the hashtag #starjumpforstarship. The entry with the most votes by midday August 7 wins a prize pack including a ready-to-use Go Pro and two Lego sets.
About the Starship Foundation
Starship was officially opened in 1991.
There are nearly 130,000 patient visits to Starship every year by children from all over New Zealand.
The Starship Foundation is a charitable social-profit organisation that needs to raise up to $10 million each year so Starship can better care for its young patients. Donations are extra to government funding and provide for initiatives such as vital clinical research and innovation, new technology and medical equipment, refurbishing older wards, staff training and community outreach projects.