Ivy Blanc - Gore
When Ivy Blanc was born eight weeks early, her parents Aisha and Kris faced one of the most terrifying moments of their lives. Born not breathing, Ivy didn’t take her first gasp of air until one minute after birth, and didn’t breathe on her own for three long minutes after that.
Originally from Gore in Southland, the young couple - Kris, 26, and Aisha, 22 - found themselves suddenly navigating the NICU world in Invercargill, far from the quiet routines they loved: walking, watching movies, and catching up with friends and family. Ivy, described lovingly by her mum as “a wee soldier,” had a tough start. She was put on CPAP to help her breathe, fed through a nasal tube, and placed on caffeine to support her brain development and reduce frequent apneas, moments where she would forget to breathe, turning blue. Despite their fear, Aisha and Kris were in awe of their daughter’s strength. “We were scared,” Aisha shared, “but proud of how Ivy was growing and developing since she came out early.” 
Throughout Ivy’s six-and-a-half-week stay in the NICU, the family were able to stay just a few steps away from her thanks to the Ronald McDonald Family Room, inside Southland Hospital. For the young parents, the Family Room became much more than just a place to sleep. “Staying in the Family Room meant a lot to me and Kris as we got to be close to our wee girl, just a couple of doors away,” said Aisha. “When you first hear about Ronald McDonald House, you think it’s a good cause. But when you actually experience staying there, it means so much more.”
Without RMHC NZ, the family would have faced a daily commute from Gore to Invercargill - a costly and exhausting drive - or expensive motel stays. “We wouldn’t have been able to just go through a couple of doors to see her,” Aisha explained, “it would have been so much harder.” At the Family Room, the family found comfort not just in the closeness to their baby, but in the thoughtful support that surrounded them. “It’s like a home away from home,” Aisha said, “being in the hospital is very draining and mentally challenging, so having the opportunity to rest in your own room helped a lot. You can just have that wee break.” Meals were another blessing. “The hospital food wasn’t the greatest,” Aisha added with a smile, “so having the kitchen to cook our meals, and all the food that was there, really helped.”
One of the unexpected highlights of their stay was meeting other families going through similar journeys, and even meeting the local Sharks Basketball Team. These moments brought a sense of connection, normalcy, and support during an otherwise overwhelming time. “We’d just like to say thank you to RMHC and all of the people and businesses that support them. We will never forget what they did for us during the first few weeks of being parents. Thank you.”
Now back home with Ivy - still using a monitoring machine but growing stronger every day – Aisha carries a deep gratitude for the place that held them through those early weeks of parenthood.
“The Ronald McDonald House is truly amazing. We’ll never forget what it meant to be able to stay so close to our girl, and to feel so supported. It made all the difference.”