Pill bill hard to swallow

Rhayne Pirini-Kake at her surprise birthday party with her mother, Natasha Kake-Harrison. Photo / Robert Trathen

Rhayne Pirini-Kake looks like a 9-year-old, but has just celebrated her 15th birthday.

She's a brave teen trapped in a child's 142cm tall body because a brain tumour has strangled her pituitary gland and stopped her body making hormones.

But her parents, Natasha Kake-Harrison and Shane Harrison, are coping with more than a very sick child - they're having to stump up with $582.10 a month for medication. Kake-Henderson took their latest medical bill to Work and Income seeking support, and was given about $40 to help cover the cost.

"They can stick it up their backsides as far as I'm concerned," she said of Winz's response.

Speaking at Rhayne's surprise birthday party in Henderson yesterday, Kake-Harrison said they were still reeling from her daughter's diagnosis in November.

Treatments cost $582 a month, including $376.80 for DDAVP, a medicine used to treat Rhayne's diabetes insipidus, which prevents her kidneys functioning properly.

"She needs the DDAVP to help her live," said Kake-Harrison.

The government agency Pharmac funded DDAVP in drop and spray form, but Rhayne needed a pill after Nasal surgery on a tumour.

Pharmac acting chief executive Steffan Crausaz said in cases where patients such as Rhayne couldn't take the drop or spray, they should apply for their circumstances to be considered.

"A number of patients with diabetes insipidus [at present] receive funding for [DDAVP] tablets through this system, and we consider each patient on a case-by-case basis."

Yesterday Rhayne was overwhelmed by her party. Friends and family she hadn't seen since November arrived from Kaitaia and Australia. Asked if she thought she was brave, Rhayne said, "Yes, sometimes. I've had 10 operations."

She was looking forward to resuming some school work soon. And she's ready for the next step in her treatment - radiation therapy in two weeks.