Georgia Bucklngham has acute myeloid leukaemia and has been given two or three weeks to live. Source: Georgia Buckingham
Georgia Bucklngham has acute myeloid leukaemia and has been given two or three weeks to live. Source: Georgia Buckingham
Our national airline has waived ticket changing fees for a terminally ill teen on a "girls trip" to Sydney with her mum and sister.
Kaitaia 16-year-old Georgia Buckingham, her mum Jo and older sister Hayley O'Connor will also be welcomed into the Koru Lounge at Auckland International Airport, during afive hour layover before their flight to Sydney on Tuesday.
Air New Zealand have also offered another special treat for the teen on her journey across the Tasman - but the New Zealand Herald has agreed not to spoil the surprise.
Buckingham was diagnosed in late 2014 with acute myeloid leukaemia before going into remission. But the cancer has returned and she has been told she has just a few weeks to live.
That ended plans for Georgia to see one of her favourite bands, Five Seconds of Summer, at a concert in Sydney next month.
Georgia's mum, Jo Buckingham, has previously said even if her daughter is still alive next month, doctors say she will be too ill to go. The band, whom she met last year as part of Make a Wish, has however agreed to Skype Georgia in one of her final wishes.
The family was determined to still travel to Sydney for four days of fun, Jo Buckingham said today.
Switching airfares was expected to cost about $1000, but Air New Zealand had waived the fees, she said.
"It's very generous ... everybody who has given has just blown us away. There's the Givealittle and even in our own community, my hairdresser and two other [businesswomen] raised $3000 in three days."
Georgia had also been boosted by one of Five Seconds of Summer's band members following her on Twitter, Jo Buckingham said.
