Tumour
At 26 years of age, Martin Kepa lives as a recluse.
Abandoned by his father when he was 8, Martin has been unable to
get a job, have a relationship, start a family. Martin is severely
disfigured by a tumour that is rapidly taking over his face. His
only hope for a normal life is surgery, and it's only through the
help of a kindly Kiwi benefactor and the goodwill of Waikato
Hospital that it can happen. Martin doesn't qualify for treatment
because he's from a remote village in Papua New Guinea.
Laurna White with Martin Kepa's story. Bruce is forking out for Martin's surgery himself. If anyone feels like donating to help towards Martin's medical bill an account has been set up. It's with the BNZ and is called "Donations for Martin Kepa". The account number is: 02-1244-0047440-83
Emergency deaths
We've all heard the stories of patients left lying on
stretchers in the emergency department, out in the corridor if
really unlucky. It's termed access block when there just aren't
enough beds to put them into a ward so the emergency department
becomes a holding pen where patients can lie and wait for hours -
eight hours is the trigger for access block. A visiting emergency
department specialist is about to tell a conference in the capital
that it's costing three hundred lives a year in this country and
the whole business is explained away by myths and misconceptions.
Dr David Mountain, a senior lecturer and a hands on emergency
specialist, joins Mark Sainsbury along with Geraint Martin, CEO of
Counties Manukau DHB.
Sheryl Crow
It's been thirteen years since Sheryl Crow has played in
this country but that's about to change as she heads this way with
John Mellencamp for a series of concerts. A vocal opponent of the
Bush administration she channelled a lot of her artistic energies
into getting stuck into the president and his attitude to issues
like climate change. So with the election of Barack Obama is he, by
contrast, bad for inspiration?
Muriwai update
While most of us will be looking forward to welcoming the
New Year, to one family it will only ever mark tragedy.
Thirteen-year-old, Daisy Fernandez was killed at Ripiro Beach near
Dargaville when a young motorcyclist crashed into her and a friend.
Her death prompted Close Up to look at the problems with speed
limits, or lack of them, on our beaches. We ran a series of stories
about asking police and councils what they were going to do about
it this year. Last month Whangarei District Council voted to bring
in a 30kph speed limit at three local beaches. And as Robyn Janes
reports, other councils are clamping down too.
Latest Close Up Video
-
Shortland Street 'truly Kiwi' (5:26)
-
Tobacco tax crime claims 'propaganda' - Turia (10:40)
-
Kiwi house-sitters saving thousands (4:39)
