Brittany Kremers has lived through 19 years of hardship, both emotionally and physically. Disfigured from cancer treatments, she hides away in her apartment, struggling to eat and speak. Diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma at age eight, she underwent aggressive treatment and surgery that removed part of her skull and jaw, leaving her dependent on liquid meals and a syringe to drink.
Despite enduring painful surgeries and a metal facial device meant to prepare her for a prosthetic jaw, she was devastated in 2021 when the Canterbury District Health Board told her there were no funds for her final surgery. Donations from the public raised $282,000—enough for the main operation, but not for lifelong aftercare, which requires ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) support.
Brittany applied to ACC in May 2022, but her claim was denied nine months later. ACC argued that her condition resulted from the cancer itself, not the treatment. Despite new medical evidence and a resubmitted claim, no clear timeline for a decision has been given.
Meanwhile, her health and mental wellbeing are declining. Her mother, Dawn, watches helplessly, angry and heartbroken. Brittany, now back home in Greymouth, fears another long wait only to be denied again.
“It’s a matter of waiting,” her mother says. “But Brittany’s mental health is suffering badly.
