Brave battle continues for little Elliott

It may be another seven months before Rotorua 4-year-old Elliott Crimp returns home but his family are positive about his future.

Elliott was diagnosed with meningococcal C in September and is still in Auckland's Middlemore Hospital. Elliott has had the toes on one foot and part of his other foot amputated. He has also lost parts of three fingers.

Elliott's mother Kushla said her son has had skin grafts on his thighs, knees and lower legs and work is still being done to try and save his feet.

"He still has got exposed bone on the left and right feet."

A layer of Integra - artificial skin - had been put on his feet but it had not taken. Doctors have put another layer on in the hope it will take this time otherwise a decision will need to be made about whether to amputate.

Mrs Crimp expected her son wouldn't be home for another seven months. She said her older sons were living with their grandmother and had to change schools. Elliott's father James is working at sea as a marine engineer.

But the family was coping with the changes. "We have a lot of people doing everything they can to help ... if it's a year, it's a year."

Mrs Crimp, who is staying with her son, said he was in good spirits. "We are always busy doing something. The people here have been great."

Mrs Crimp said her son will feature in women's magazine New Idea raising awareness of meningococcal disease and Middlemore's Kidz First Children's Hospital.

Meanwhile, the Vet Club in Rotorua is to donate $2000 to the Crimp family to cover some of Elliott's costs. Vet Club practice manager David Schmidt said the son of one of the vets went to the same kindergarten as Elliott and staff wanted help and raised funds in December.

"We couldn't believe how strong the mother is, how stoic the parents have been," Mr Schmidt said.

Vet Club staff plan to present the money to Mrs Crimp this month.