Community opens heart for Alice's family

Five weeks after baby Alice's liver transplant, money continues to pour in for the Temuka family from people and businesses in South Canterbury.

The Alice Johnston Fund is sitting at more than $20,000, which does not include a "substantial donation" the family has received.

They have had no income since June, when six-month-old Alice was diagnosed with biliary atresia.

Mum Kate Manson said every cent was appreciated because not having to worry about how to pay the mortgage or buy the basics provided relief during a stressful time.

Alice was born without a bile duct and underwent surgery in October in which her dad Mike Johnston donated part of his liver.

Alice was discharged from Auckland's Starship Children's Hospital on November 6. She has to stay in Auckland with her family until mid-January to be available four days a week for blood tests and to check in at the outpatient clinic.

In addition to the fund, Alice's uncle Danny Johnston has organised a fundraising quiz night and auction on November 27.

Businesses have donated prizes including a $1800 heat pump, a one-hour scenic flight over Aoraki-Mt Cook for three people, a rally car ride with New Zealand rally champion Hayden Paddon and a jet boat ride.

People can also bid on a cricket bat signed by the Black Caps in the 1990s.

The fundraiser will be held at the Harlequins club rooms in Church St and teams of four can enter the quiz for $20.

Miss Manson said Alice was continuing to improve in "leaps and bounds".

"She's drinking huge amounts of milk and putting on weight. She takes 10 medicines a day, including the anti-rejection medicine, Tacrolimus (Tac), that she'll be on for life."

The family were preparing for what they'd have to do when they got home.

"Alice can never drink untreated water, for example, and we're on a underground bore at home so we have to always boil her water or install a treatment system," Miss Manson said.

Alice can never touch unvaccinated animals and if she got chicken pox or measles she would have to go back to hospital.

"The list goes on. This is all due to her being on Tac which lowers her immune system. This drug makes her 70 times more likely to get skin cancer so we have to be very vigilant when she's in the sun," Miss Manson said.

"There's lots to learn and deal with but at the end of the day we have a gorgeous girl who's got a great future ahead of her."