The Star: April 15, 2021

Thursday April 15 2021 The Star
• By Matt Slaughter
DAVE HAIMES says he would
be dead by now if it was not for
cancer treatment he is receiving
using drug Keytruda.
But, this has come at a large
cost – $90,000.
The 59-year-old has stage 4
choroidal melanoma,
which is terminal,
and has tumours
on his liver and
kidney.
He has not been
able to have
these operated
on,
or have
radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
But, the treatment using
Keytruda is working and “the
tumours are shrinking,” he said.
If it wasn’t for this, he said:
“I’d probably have a really nice
headstone, I’d be dead.”
This could prolong his life for
an unknown amount of time,
but he has had to borrow
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Dementia unit resident
charged with manslaughter dies
AN ELDERLY man who was
charged with killing a fellow
resident at a Christchurch
rest home’s dementia unit has
died.
The man, in his 70s, was
charged with manslaughter
after an incident at Heritage
Lifecare last year involving a
man in his 80s.
His case was going through
the High Court when he died
earlier this year.
Widespread suppression
orders have blanketed the case,
preventing publication of the
name of the resident who died,
his alleged attacker, and the
name of the rest home.
The court confirmed
final suppression orders for
both men yesterdayday but
said the rest home can now be
identified.
The man charged with manslaughter
was suffering with
severe dementia at the time of
the assault.
Before his death, mental
health assessors found he was
Cancer patient doesn’t want
to leave family with $90k debt
$90,000 against his family home
to afford it.
Haimes was diagnosed with
cancer early last year and at first,
he said, “it didn’t really phase
me much.” But, he did not realise
the treatment he needed was
not funded in New Zealand and
this came as a shock.
A Givealittle page has
been created to try and
raise $90,000 so Haimes’
wife Reecy Den-Heijer
and children Grace, 13,
and Wolf, 8, will not be
unfit to stand trial.
The manslaughter charge
was dropped and the case
closed, with no further
criminal proceedings to go
ahead.
However, it’s understood
that a coronial inquiry into the
circumstances surrounding the
death could still be held.
left in debt.
Reecy is studying to be a
radiologist and Haimes wants
to ensure his family are able to
survive financially if his condition
deteriorates.
Said Haimes: “If I deteriorate
quickly, I don’t want to leave my
wife with any debt or stress.”
The page was started last week
and $6768 has been raised so far.
The treatment is working so
well, Haimes is back working
in his construction job and has
been able to get out and about
and spend quality time with his
children, including camping at
Pigeon Bay.
Haimes receives treatment
once a week at St George’s
Hospital.
To donate to the Givealittle
page to support Dave Haimes
and his family visit: https://
givealittle.co.nz/cause/helplighten-the-future
FAMILY: A Givealittle page
has been set up for Dave
Haimes and his family –
Reecy Den-Heijer (left),
Grace and Wolf Haimes-
Den-Heijer, to pay off debt
from Dave’s $90,000 cancer
treatment.
PHOTO: GEOFF SLOAN ​
NEWS 3
in brief
LTP submissions
to end Sunday
The consultation period for
submissions on the city council’s
draft 2021–31 Long Term Plan
ends at midnight on Sunday.
The plan sets the direction
for the next 10 years, outlines
what will be invested in, how
much it is likely to cost and
how it will be funded. About
630 submissions have been
received from the public so far.
The LTP is proposing an average
residential rate increase of 5 per
cent. To make a submission visit
ccc.govt.nz.
Surveying works
to start for arena
Geotechnical and environmental
investigation works at the
Canterbury Multi-Use Arena
site are set to start tomorrow
and be completed by late May
2021. The Government and the
city council have approved $473
million for the multi-functional
arena to be built in central
Christchurch between Madras,
Barbadoes, Hereford and Tuam
Sts. Construction is scheduled
to start this year and the arena
is expected to open at the end of
2024. Once finished, the roofed
stadium will have a minimum
seating capacity of 25,000, with
the potential to add temporary
seating for a further 5000 in the
future.
Work to start
on City Mission
redevelopement
Construction is set to start
this week on Christchurch
City Mission’s $10 million
redevelopment of its Hereford
St home. The site was blessed
by Bishop Richard Wallace of
Te Waipounamu. It will include
A 15-bed transitional housing
facility, a café, a catering
business, a new op-shop and
warehouse, a new self-serve,
mana-enhancing foodbank
and offices for a hub of seven
social workers. City Missioner
Matthew Mark said there is a
potential for the new complex
to “change lives.”
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Play league with the Celebration this year!
Join us - Grades Nursery - 14s
Premier & Reserve training Tuesday night
Visit our Facebook page for more
facebook.com/CelebrationLionsLeague
Care &
Compassion
We pride ourselves on the
very highest level of service
If you are thinking about the future,
we can help you explore pre-payment
and pre-planning options. Contact us
for a Free Information Pack.
We offer funeral information talks to
groups. Please call us for a speaker to
come to you.
Mark Glanville
Manager &
Funeral Director
(03) 379 0196 | www.simplicity.co.nz
Mike Chandler
Funeral Director
Nick Allwright
Funeral Director