1757 days ago

Father has 'no regret' over helping brothers, despite spine injury that will cost $85k to fix

Caroline Williams Reporter from North Shore Times

Kia ora neighbours. Reece Leitch just wants to play with his young daughters, but a back injury – that will cost around $85,000 to fix – has left him unable to be as involved in their playtime as he once was.

The 27-year-old, from Hillcrest first started having back problems at 10 years old, when he started helping to care for his older brothers, Ryan and Blake, who have muscular dystrophy.

As the only able-bodied man in his family, Leitch would do a lot of the physically demanding tasks, including lifting his brothers in and out of their wheelchairs, beds and the bathroom.

“There’s no doubt, or regret, that looking after my brothers from a young age had an effect on the health of my spine,” he said.

After suffering two slipped discs last year, Leitch is now reliant on medication for his “constant pain”.

Leitch needs disc replacement surgery, but ACC will no longer fund his treatment.

He’s now taking his bid for treatment overseas and hopes a purpose-built spine clinic in Germany will be able to fix his back and get him playing with his daughters and playing sports again.

Click 'read more' for our full story.
If you'd like to make a donation towards Leitch's surgery, you can do so here: givealittle.co.nz...

More messages from your neighbours
8 hours ago

Got more greens than you know what to do with? 🥦🌱🥕

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Whether it’s a courgette takeover or a feijoa frenzy, don’t let those garden gems go to waste!

Our suggestion to you: Did you know you can grate and freeze excess courgettes to use in chocolate cake later? It sounds a bit dodgy, but it makes the cake incredibly moist ... and hey, it counts as a serving of veg, right? 🍫

What’s your go-to move for a bumper harvest? Drop your best "glut" recipes or preservation hacks in the comments below! 👇

Image
3 days ago

🌉🛶 Early Birds Might Crack This One First… or Not? 🥚🧠

The Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

A person is crossing a bridge and sees a boat full of people, yet there isn't a single person on board.
How is this possible?

(Susan from Massey kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Susan!)

Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!

Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

Image
5 days ago

🪱🐦 When are you the most productive? 🌙🦉

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

The Post has been diving into our daily habits, and research suggests being an early bird or a night owl isn’t just a choice—it’s biology! We all have that specific time when our brains finally "click" into gear.

This raises a big question for the modern workplace. To get the best out of everyone, should employers accommodate our natural body clocks? This idea is at the heart of the four-day work week and flexible scheduling movements.

We want to hear from you:
1. When does your brain "click" into gear?
2. Would a flexible (or shortened) schedule change the way you work?

Image