Stories
Ranui House Stories
“Against all odds”, from the highest highs to the lowest lows
Nelson teenager Brodie Seelen is no stranger to a challenge. At 16-years-old he made history as the youngest athlete to compete in the Coast-to-Coast endurance race, only to...
Southland leukaemia survivor Cameron Parkinson
Southland leukaemia survivor Cameron Parkinson was busy planning his 21st birthday party when a shock cancer diagnosis turned his world upside down. “I’d been feeling really...
Josh Komen to attempt NZ’s unofficial ice-bath record
Defying the odds comes naturally to local Greymouth legend Josh Komen. Having already survived leukaemia – twice – he’s now setting his sights on a new challenge in the hope of...
From one of NZ’s fastest men, to one of the sickest
When Josh Komen gets asked how he is his eyes light up and his smile triples in size. “I’m thriving… because I should be dead, I should be dead more than once and here I am...
Meet our Haematology Prize winners!
It’s a privilege and delight to announce our five Haematology Prize winners for 2021 and 2022. Part of the mission of the Bone Marrow Cancer Research Trust is to support the...
Former Kiwi athlete and two-time leukaemia survivor announces new role
More than a decade since his diagnosis, two-time leukaemia survivor Josh Komen is pledging to ‘give back’ to those who were there for him during his darkest days. The former...
The Ranui housekeeper that lights up Christmas
Edith Molyneux is more than a housekeeper at Ranui House. She is Ranui’s very own Christmas angel. For more than 14 years, Edith has been looking after the 26-apartments at Ranui...
Special recognition for two of the driving forces behind Christchurch health charity
Two Christchurch volunteers have been gifted a new title to recognise a lifetime of dedicated service, which has seen thousands of Kiwis provided a home-away-from-home when...
From Golden Bay to Ranui House – with love
On a Friday night in March 2022, Melise Tilley was told she had leukaemia. Four days later she was on a plane leaving her home in Golden Bay for Christchurch Hospital. “I went to...
Ranui House gives family space to heal
Amidst a daunting and huge life-changing transplant surgery, two brothers and their partners have found solace in staying at Ranui House. Waimate’s Kelvin Sadler underwent a...
In the blink of an eye, life as we knew it changed
My husband Max was diagnosed with an extremely rare auto immune disease and was told his chances of survival were slim.
Housekeeper Helen saved my life
At 23, Josh Komen from Greymouth was diagnosed with cancer and had a Bone Marrow Transplant
Little brother’s lifesaving gift
Liam Seelen did not hesitate to offer a piece of himself to save his big brother’s life.
An absolute home away from home
Our son, Benji Knight was diagnosed with a rare osteo sarcoma on his lower right femur.
All that stress simply evaporated
My diagnosis came as a bombshell – Stage 4 Brain Cancer.
Manaakitanga – care and hospitality
The ‘safe haven’ provided by the Ranui team gave our family the stability and security we needed.
Our financial worries were removed
Ranui House gave us valuable respite time to recover from the horror of his accident.
A haven during a very dark time
Through the turmoil and devastation, Ranui was a light in the midst of a very dark tunnel.
Riding this crazy journey
We have been staying at Ranui House regularly for my treatment of Multiple Myeloma.