Kiwi in quarantine granted exemption to see dying mother

Renee's 59-year-old mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer last month and given weeks to live.
Renee's 59-year-old mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer last month and given weeks to live. Photo credit: Newshub

Renee West has been granted an exemption from the mandatory 14-day quarantine for travellers and will be allowed to visit her dying mother.

The Government has been reviewing the cases of 23 applicants who had been denied an exemption to see ill relatives after the High Court overturned their ruling for one traveller.

It was announced on Wednesday that West will now be allowed to visit her 59-year-old mother who was diagnosed with terminal cancer in April and given weeks to live.

It is not yet known if the other applicants have also been given exemptions.

West has been fighting to be allowed to visit her mother for the last week.

West and her two sons arrived in New Zealand on April 25 and were only able to talk to her mum through video calls.

On Tuesday she told Newshub she had applied for an exemption so she could see her mother but it had been turned down.  

"They said it was denied, like it wasn't a serious enough matter or not a medical matter for me," she said on Tuesday. 

"Her [West's mother] one dying wish is to say goodbye and give me a big cuddle. So for them to say it's not serious enough, it felt very heartless."

She told Newshub on Tuesday that it was frustrating not being allowed back to Taranaki where her mum lives, especially as they don't have nurses around to help, so her mum wouldn't pose any risk to hospital staff or other patients.

"I need to be there for my family too. My sister and my dad, they're looking after her but it's so much pressure on them," she says.