In 2019, little Taloapatina was fighting for her life in Starship’s Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) after she faced three massive heart attacks, turning her family's world upside down. Starship children's hospital played a crucial role in her remarkable recovery, testament both to Talo's resilience and the unwavering dedication of the medical team.

Talo was born with one of two coronary arteries blocked to a major part of her heart. Her condition wasn’t discovered until she had a scan at Middlemore Hospital after a doctor treating her for bronchitis found she had a heart murmur. It was after another scan at Starship that Talo had her first heart attack. Soon, her family’s life was a blur of surgeries, an ECMO machine (a machine that carries out a patient’s heart and lung functions for them) and multiple setbacks. Against all odds, Talo, now five years old, is thriving, thanks to the exceptional care provided by Starship. The only hint at what she went through is the scar down her chest.

This year, Talo experienced a heart-warming moment that added an extra sparkle to her incredible journey. She had the chance to take the stage at Christmas in the Park, to light up the Mercury Christmas tree, radiating wonder and joy.

Talo's story not only highlights why supporting Starship is so critical, it also showcases the remarkable life-saving, life-changing care its teams provide every day.

“There are people doing these amazing jobs that we don’t get to see from the outside. But until you get to experience what we’ve experienced, you never know how hard these people work,” says Talo’s dad, Siki. Now champions for the Starship cause, Talo’s family encourages everyone to contribute to ensuring more stories of hope unfold at Starship.

And what more powerful story of hope than seeing little Talo up on the magical Christmas stage?
“Please help Starship, because some kids like me need help,” says Talo.

Help more kids from all over New Zealand make it home to their whānau for this and every Christmas by making a Christmas donation today.

Back to blog  Next post