Last week, Kavahna Bellman finished a cycling fundraiser to help keep the Starship Air Ambulance flying and to help save sick and injured children like she once was.
Kavahna had a rough start to life, spending several weeks in Auckland’s Starship Hospital when she was born with birthmarks on her liver.
For about three and a-half years she had regular ultrasounds and treatment, but has since been living life as a normal, happy girl.
While she could not remember what she went through, her parents Taryn and Liam Bellman always told her of the hospital staff’s generosity and help they gave the family during her time there.
So, at the beginning of the year, when Kavahna was looking for some motivation, she decided to do something to improve her health and help the service that helped her.
"So I started thinking to myself that it’s possible that I could be happier with myself if I improved my fitness — because I have been a bit insecure about myself lately — and also help save kids."
She set a goal to ride 300km in March and raise money while doing it.
She rode 18km every weekday from Strathern to Otatara School to ensure she met her goal, as well as taking cycling trips on the weekends.
In the first week, she was taking about an hour to complete the route to school, but by the end she had nearly halved that time.
"I’ve seen photos of the kids that are sick and I realised that since I bike to school, I might as well just do it to help other kids as well.
"Whenever it got hard, I just kept telling myself that that’s why I’m doing it and that’s what mostly helped me.
"It gave me motivation."
Not content with raising only $500 for Starship, Kavahna wrote to her school principal, pitching the idea of having a "sporty" mufti day where students could dress up for a gold coin donation to Starship.
She raised an additional $300 with that.
"I had to go up in front of the whole school and announce it.
"That was the biggest challenge I had to overcome because I get stage fright and I usually hate being the centre of attention.
"I feel like I did the right thing and I feel proud of myself.
"Now I feel a lot less insecure about myself."
Taryn was also impressed with her daughter.
"I know she’s got a big heart and I know that if she puts her mind to something, she can achieve it, but somewhere along the way, as she’s grown up, she’s lost that confidence in herself."
While her cycling goal has come to an end, Kavahna is still fundraising.
She has already raised $1300 and would love more people to join her cause.
