A Whangārei family is still suffering after their house was burgled in October while they were out watching Rugby World Cup games.

Outings are a rarity for the Hughes family as they have had financial
difficulties after mother Katie was diagnosed with the rare blood disorders Castleman disease and POEMS syndrome in 2019.

Katie also has a cancerous tumour at the top of her spine and a number of other lesions.

She has limited mobility, which makes excursions more difficult.

Katie was initially misdiagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome when she first developed symptoms in 2018, shortly after her son Niam was born.

“I had a tumour at the top of my spine that was eroding my top two vertebrae so I was in danger of being internally decapitated,” she said. “I had to have a spinal fusion.”

“I had the surgery and shortly after they sent me home. For a day, then they called me and said, ‘hey, can you come tomorrow for radiation?’.”

The family’s financial problems came after Katie’s husband Adam Hughes gave up his job as a truck driver to look after Katie and Niam, who has just turned five.

“Once I was having treatment in Auckland, he just couldn’t care for me and my son [and continue to work],” Katie said.

Adam is now studying environmental science, but they are unsure whether he will be able to study full-time this year, with doctors finding a new lesion on Katie’s spine that may require more treatment in Auckland.

Katie had 25 radiation treatments in three different places and was then put on oral chemotherapy after the radiation did not work as well as hoped.

The family’s financial situation due to Katie’s health meant they did not have contents insurance and were not able to replace the items that were stolen in the burglary in October, which included cameras and tools.

Katie and Adam already had to undertake a No Asset Procedure to pay off debts.

They initially received a medical bill for Katie’s first hospital stay as public healthcare was not covered under the visa American-born Katie was on. They have since ensured she is on the correct visa to be eligible for free public health care.

The burglary came after several years of these health issues and financial struggles.

The family came home after enjoying two Rugby World Cup matches to find their door hanging open, Katie said.

“We got home and it was still daylight – we didn’t stay for the last game, we just stayed for two. We noticed our door left open and we walked up and it was completely smashed.

“They broke into the garage first and took a sledgehammer out of there and broke into the house with the sledgehammer.”

With help from friends, the family have been able to replace couches that the burglars damaged, and their TV from money raised through a Givealittle page, but they had to borrow money from WINZ to replace Adam’s laptop, which he needed for his study.

Niam is supposed to start school next week, but his parents may hold him back until they know whether Katie will have to go to Auckland for an extended period of time for radiation or a stem cell transplant.

“He doesn’t do change very well,” Katie said. “When we go out now, he says, ‘Is our door going to be smashed?’ So he still is a bit shaken from it. And me too – every time we leave, I think about it.”

Most of the items taken were “big-ticket” items, Katie said, and she knew why people might want to take them but did not understand the thieves damaging the furniture.

“Everything else made sense to me, but why did they slash our couches? I understand they could be selling our TV. In my head, I think, well, maybe they do actually need this money.”

This week, the family has had another blow after Adam tested positive for Covid, which would be dangerous for Katie as she is immunosuppressed. Fortunately, she is yet to test positive herself.

“I know everybody’s had a rough few years, especially with the pandemic, but it seems like no matter what we’re doing, there’s always something that happens, knocking us back,” Katie said.

“It’s just really, really frustrating.”

Adam wrote an open letter to the thieves which he posted online after the burglary, explaining the family’s struggles and precarious financial situation.

“What’s life like these days? Well, financially we’re obviously still at the bottom of the cliff proverbially speaking. Emotionally? Stressed. Physically? Exhausted,” it read.

“Do you know just how much stress and suffering you’ve inflicted? We’re not rich. We get by. That’s it. We can’t afford contents insurance.”

“If you could (you definitely can) contribute to the suffering caused, well then you’re more than welcome to donate to the Givealittle a friend set up for us… It’s not much… but it’ll help replace some of it.”

A Givealittle has been started for the family. Donations can be made at givealittle.co.nz/cause/assistance-required-for-beautiful-young-family