MEET OUR STARSHIP SIDEKICK, BETH
Beth is one of our own. She’s been an important part of our team for more than 10 years, having experienced many different roles, spanning trading to generation. However, there’s another layer to Mercury that Beth has a personal and deep connection to – Starship! This month, we’re celebrating Beth’s invaluable role as a Starship advocate and sidekick, both at Mercury, and beyond – check out her story! What is your personal experience and connection to Starship? My family’s journey with Starship children’s hospital started in 2014 when my daughter Sierra, who was born with a complex cardiac condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. We relocated to Auckland so she could go straight into intensive care when she was born and following her first open heart surgery at five days old, we spent the next five months living in the hospital. She had quite a rocky first year of life with multiple surgeries, additional complications, and we faced times when we didn’t know if she would survive much longer. Sierra had other plans for her life though and she battled through the difficulties; she’s had two further open-heart surgeries, multiple heart-related procedures under anaesthetic, plus surgeries on the hip, knee, stomach and palate. Despite all this, Starship is very much a home away from home for us and Sierra is always so happy to return there for appointments and to see all the familiar faces who have become entwined in her life story. What drives you to advocate for Starship as a sidekick? I always feel that there is always more that can be done to help raise awareness of how incredible Starship is and what people can do to help, so I love sharing our experience. Before Sierra was born, and we knew about her heart condition, my husband and I said that although we couldn’t see it yet there would be a reason Sierra was gifted to us. So, if through her story we can help just one other family, then we should do whatever it takes to do that. What does Mercury’s 20-year partnership with Starship mean to you as one of the team? I feel so proud of everything that Mercury does in the community. We’re not just an energy provider who makes a token effort at contribution, we form long term relationships to really understand the needs so our support can be tailored to finding solutions with the most impact.
How can others get on board as Starship sidekicks? I’m a Mercury customer and I donate on my bill. I love sharing with friends and family that by being a customer they also can contribute to a much wider purpose than just paying for your energy. Adding a small donation to your monthly bill is such a simple, easy thing to do and can make such a difference. A few dollars might not seem much to one person, but when combined with everyone else’s contributions, that money goes a long way and has a big impact. I’ve experienced first-hand the importance of having something so simple as a bed to sleep on in Sierra’s room, waiting in a comfortable friendly space during an operation, or being surrounded by a bright environment when attending outpatients appointments. These things can seem so insignificant but make a massive difference to families like ours who are often living full-time in that environment.
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The information provided in this article is of a general nature and not intended to be a substitute for personalised, professional advice. Mercury recommends that you always seek appropriate advice from a qualified professional to suit your individual circumstances. Links to external, non-Mercury websites are provided as a reference only, and do not imply a partnership or endorsement of their content.