Hospices around New Zealand have benefited from more than $30,000 in specialised equipment, thanks to recent grants provided by the Harcourts Foundation and its supporting business owners.
The $30,729 in grants – covering costs for items ranging from oxygen concentrators and mattresses to syringe drivers and cushions for wheelchairs – has been distributed to 12 hospices nationwide.
Clinical services manager and head of nursing at Mercy Hospice in Auckland, Collette Parr-Owens, says the grant they received will add to the equipment offered to patients every day.
“Many of our patients require a continuous infusion of medication mainly for pain relief, and this is given through a syringe driver,” she says. “It’s a very effective way to administer medications, promotes comfort and makes a big difference to how a patient feels.” says Collette.
Funding granted to Te Omanga Hospice in Lower Hutt bought two pressure-relieving mattresses.
Te Omanga Hospice fundraising manager Matthew McCracken says the funding has relieved a desperate need to replace two pressure-relieving mattresses, with the new ones making an incredible difference to patients in Lower Hutt and Wellington.
“The mattresses are specially designed for patient comfort. We want to give a heartfelt thank you to the team at Harcourts for supporting those in the Hutt Valley with terminal and life-limiting illnesses.”
Hospice NZ acting chief executive Wayne Naylor says the Harcourts Foundation grants are generous and welcome.
“Having spent nine years running the clinical services of a large hospice I know just how important the specialised equipment is to support the care of terminally ill people, especially to keep them at home with loved ones. This generous grant from Harcourts will make an enormous difference to the quality of life of these people when it matters most.”
Harcourts NZ managing director Bryan Thomson says the Harcourts Foundation funding has been distributed across the country in Auckland, Marlborough, Tairawhiti, Waikato, Taupo, Whangarei, Rotorua, Tauranga and Wellington.
This funding is in addition to thousands of dollars being distributed every three months by the Foundation to other community groups, schools and initiatives, and represents its largest grant each year.
“It’s an extra-special honour to work together with Hospice NZ on their fundraising programme,” Mr Thomson says. “We have a huge amount of respect for what Hospice achieves in the community, and our entire team supports the benefits that it gives to anyone who needs it.”
The recent grants have been allocated to:
Waipuna Hospice, Tauranga ($2594) for two syringe drivers and lock boxes;
Franklin Hospice, Auckland ($2345) for one oxygen concentrator and three nebulisers
Hospice Marlborough, Blenheim ($2712) for a mattress, five over- bed/wheelchair tables, over-bed table top and 10 urinal bottle;
Hospice Tairawhiti, Gisborne ($2655) for five pressure redistributing cushions for wheelchairs;
Hospice West Auckland ($2594) for one syringe driver and a lockbox;
Hospice Whangarei ($3196) for two hyper airbed mattresses;
Lake Taupo Hospice ($2934) for specialist portable bed, anti-pressure mattress and two over-bed tables;
Mercy Hospice, Auckland ($2594) for a syringe driver and lock box;
North Haven Hospice, Whangarei ($2098) for alternating air mattress;
Rotorua Community Hospice ($2751) for three repose contur sets;
Te Omanga Hospice, Lower Hutt ($1478) for two pressure-relieving mattresses;
Totara Hospice, Auckland ($2768) for a portable oxygen concentrator.
More about the Harcourts grant programme.
Harcourts launched Harcourts Foundation in 2008 to provide support that helps, grows and enriches New Zealand’s communities. With 100% of the funds raised going straight to the charities who need it most, Harcourts has been able to provide grants totalling more than $1.1 million in New Zealand to support local community groups. Find out more about the Harcourts Foundation here.
The Hospice NZ Grants programme, which provides all member hospices with the opportunity to purchase much needed equipment, directly directly supports hospices from the Far North to the deep South to continue their work, enabling people to live every moment in whatever way is important to them. More than $225,000 has been donated to date. Fine out more about our partnership with Harcourts here.
