The Star: July 11, 2019

The Star Thursday July 11 2019
• By Devon Bolger
TEENAGER MADDIE Collins
is desperately fighting to save
her new kidney after it began to
show signs of failing.
Maddie’s mother Sarah
Manson-Collins said she’s currently
struggling with declining
kidney function and high blood
pressure.
“These are complications from
a failing kidney and right now
we are just trying to maximise
her best chances to save it,” said
Mrs Manson-Collins.
The pair are currently staying
at Ronald McDonald House
Grafton Mews in Auckland
while Maddie is treated in Starship
Hospital.
“It’s been really hard, Although
Maddie’s quite frustrated
about being back in hospital she
is handling things well. We’ve
accepted that this is just where
we are at the moment,” Mrs
Manson-Collins said.
“She’s been sick for 10 years
and it’s exhausting. I really feel
for Maddie a lot.”
The West Melton 15-year-old
suffers from kidney disease,
nephrotic syndrome.
Maddie received a ‘miracle’
second kidney transplant in
January last year after being told
there was only a two per cent
chance of finding a match in
New Zealand.
The first was donated six years
ago by her father Adam but her
body rejected it.
The family didn’t expect to
be able to find a second kidney
match in New Zealand.
They were planning a trip to
The John Hopkins Hospital in
Baltimore, United States, to find
one when they were notified an
organ had been found.
Mrs Manson-Collins said in
spite of the current prognosis
not looking good, they weren’t
news online at www.star.kiwi
Maddie back in hospital
FRUSTRATED: Maddie Collins, 15, is back at Starship
Hospital in Auckland after her kidney showed signs of
failing.
reconsidering the trip.
“At the moment, no. We are
focused on stabilising this kidney
and right now we don’t want
to think too far forward.”
In spite of her illness, Maddie
is a passionate equestrian and
competed at the Cover Queen
Winter Series at McLeans Island
on Sunday.
“Even though her kidney is
failing she went out there and
gave it her all and did really
well,” Mrs Manson-Collins said.
A SEAL rarely seen in New
Zealand popped in for a rest at
Birdlings Flat over the weekend.
Crabeater seals are usually
found on pack ice around the
Antarctic and seldom make the
trip to New Zealand shores, with
only eight sightings documented
across the country between 1885
and 2015.
But a lone traveller has been
spotted snoozing at Birdlings
Flat less than a week after
another sighting on a beach near
Dunedin on July 2.
There have been three
sightings this year, including the
recent one in Dunedin, which
may be the same seal who rested
all weekend at Birdlings Flat
before heading back out to sea.
One was found dead inland
from Lake Ellesmere in May this
year.
University of Otago student
and LeopardSeals.org research
NEWS 15
SLEEPY: A
crabeater
seal takes
a welldeserved
nap after
stopping
in at
Birdlings
Flat.
Rare crabeater seal
spotted at Birdlings Flat
assistant Giverny Forbes said
she believed the seal near
Dunedin was almost fully grown
and appeared to be in good
condition.
However, it had some scars on
its back, and a few scratches and
puncture wounds, which could
be signs of a recent encounter
with a leopard seal at sea.
Crabeaters form an important
part of the diet of leopard seals
and the pups are frequently
eaten.
Ms Forbes said its name was a
misnomer and the seals do not
eat crabs.
‘’They’re called crabeater
seals but they’re actually very
specialised in hunting krill, they
can sieve krill through their
teeth.’’
It is critical people do not
disturb the seals and maintain a
safe distance away from them of
at least 20m.
Outdoor burning
in winter
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