Media Release
Date: Friday 23 August 2013
Grateful Mother Donates In Husband's Memory
Kelly Mita-Skeet has donated more than one thousand dollars to Waikato Hospital’s NICU for “incredible support” from
staff following the early arrival of her and her late husband’s baby girl.
L-R: Registered nurse Jess Pedersen, charge nurse manager Christine Woolerton, mother Kelly Mita-Skeet, baby Vivika
Mita, social worker Chrissi Borrie and registered nurse Natalia Ollington
A grateful Cambridge mother has presented a donation of $1225 to Waikato Hospital’s Waikids Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for their “incredible support” following the early arrival of her baby girl.
Kelly Mita-Skeet discovered she was pregnant shortly after her husband Deon Mita passed away unexpectedly in November
last year. Baby Vivika was born prematurely via emergency caesarean the following June and spent an entire month in the
care of Waikids NICU staff.
“Both Deon and I have a long-standing history with Hautapu and Leamington rugby clubs, and on Saturday (17 August) the
Battle of the Bridge rugby game was held in his honour. The game, held in Cambridge, was followed by a charity event
with an auction of items donated from a variety of businesses,” Kelly said.
The game and charity event, which were sponsored by Your Cambridge News, had the biggest turnout in Battle of the Bridge
history with up to 2000 people in attendance. A total of $2450 was raised in Deon’s honour.
And Kelly chose to split the money-raised between Waikids NICU and St John.
“Waikids NICU provided extraordinary care during such a difficult time. Staff took care of my daughter – changing her,
caring for her, cuddling her,” she said.
Waikato DHB social worker Chrissi Borrie visits mums in Waikids NICU within 24 hours of their baby’s arrival, lets them
know how their baby is doing, and provides them with a support booklet.
“Chrissi would listen and talk with me. She’s organises a breakfast for Waikids NICU mums, so we can eat, socialise and
support one another through whatever we’re each going through,” she said.
“Kelly is very special to us,” Chrissi says of the brave Mum.
“She has contributed to Waikids NICU in more ways than one. It was her idea to create a welcome pack to go along with
our support booklets for our Waikids NICU mums. We now give chocolate and knitted baby items with each support booklet.
“When I make the packs up I get sentimental and think about Kelly. What a wonderful idea she has left behind - and now
she has provided this funding. It’s just an incredible thing,” she said.
The money is donated to the Waikato Health Trust to a specific NICU fund and will be put towards lazyboy chairs for mums, welcome packs, and breakfast supplies.
“People often donate items of clothing, toys or equipment to NICU which staff are always grateful for but donation of
money through the Waikato Health Trust, means staff can purchase priority items for NICU using Waikato DHB’s buying
power.
“In this case, the chairs will give mums their much needed rest - that’s what they need because they are up here all
day.”
As of this year The Battle of the Bridge will once again be held annually, and teams will play for the Deon Mita
Memorial Trophy.
Waikids NICU is a regional service that caters for sick and premature babies from the entire Midland region; north as
far as Thames, West as far as Taranaki, right across to Gisborne.
The Waikato Health Trust was established in 1993 as the Health Waikato Charitable Trust. Its broad purpose is to support
the provision of health and disability services within the area served by the Waikato District Health Board.
Within that broad purpose the Trust undertakes a number of specific activities. The main one of these is to manage the
donations and bequests received by the Waikato District Health Board. www.waikatodhb.health.nz/wht
ENDS