While 10-year-old Ben Kjeldsen was not able to gorge himself on pirate-themed muffins and chicken nuggets, it didn't stop him from enjoying his first real birthday party out of hospital in Rotorua.
Ben was born with glycerol kinase deficiency, an extremely rare condition which means he is highly allergic to fat and has a low immune system which can keep him out of school.
He has been in and out of hospital his whole life and has never been able to have a birthday party, his mother Anita Kjeldsen said.
"He was born with it, but he wasn't diagnosed with it until he was 7 years old.