June 2015
Hospice Connections Terry’s association with Hospice goes back many years, and has been in a number of different capacities. He tells me “I was an ambulance officer for many years and thoroughly enjoyed going up to Hospice with the patients. I’d been there lots of times and seen what the place was like and got to know a lot of the staff. That’s when I thought about volunteering. I did a food safety course and the original idea was to volunteer in the kitchen, cooking meals.” At the time that Terry came to us to volunteer at Hospice, there were no available positions in the kitchen so he willingly joined us as an Inpatient Unit Assistant. These volunteers work alongside the nursing staff, taking on some of the essential but lower-priority daily tasks, and on really busy days in the unit, their help is invaluable. “I worked in the Inpatient Unit and did the orientation, infection control and all the other bits of training that needed doing. Unfortunately though I couldn’t do it for very long, because my illness took over. I enjoyed the work and liked being in that environment. I’ve also been with people at the end.” Terry was with us as a volunteer in the Inpatient Unit for several months “I’ve been through that shock of being told that I have a terminal illness. At the time I thought it was going to be a month or so away, but it’s been nine years since I was formally diagnosed. I’d had heart stents put in and went for a clearance to return to work. I mentioned to the doctor that I bruise easily so he sent me for blood tests. The results sent me to the haematologist and the diagnosis was made shortly after. I’m extremely grateful to my employer and workmates, who for the last year or so before I retired, knowing about my diagnosis, were very accommodating and helpful. Terry has been a Hospice patient for about a year now. “My involvement with Hospice as a patient has been really, really good. This last trip in, I was a bit upset actually. I had to go out for a couple of medical appointments while I was up there, and found that I didn’t really want to! I was so comfortable up there in my room and I would have been much happier just staying up there, but there was a specialist I had to see. Now that I’m back at home, the contact with the nursing staff is mostly by phone to see how things are. What got me was that they are thinking ahead with regard to my condition. They’re always thinking, “what can we do now”? “Because the staff are always looking for ways to make things better for me, I still have hope – hope for a good quality of life.” One of Terry’s joys is Ted, the Griffon-cross. After meeting Ted a few times, Terry says he “fell in love with him. I’ve always liked animals and used to have boarding kennels/ cattery years ago, so it’s nice to have the company. He stays with me during the day and can come and go through the cat door as he pleases. And then he comes and cuddles up on my lap. We go out for a walk and he loves to have a run around – his nose works overtime.” Ted has also been to visit us numerous times at Hospice and like Terry, we just love to make a fuss over him. So far, Terry says, he’s been able to do the things he wanted to do, and still has that hope for a quality of life. “Goal setting changes, but I still have goals” he says. “Even story continues on page 6 though they are different to what they once were, I still have them all the same.” Hospice Wanganui supported by
2
Karen’s comment Greetings. As I write this we are approaching the beginning of our new financial year. This year we will be receiving a much needed financial boost from the Government via the Ministry of Health. You may recall that Hospices around the country were to receive a share of an extra 20 million dollars allocated for palliative care. It has been over six years since our last funding increase so this is very welcome. The money will be given to DHBs for distribution based on the funding calculation used for most health services, Population Based Funding Formula (PBFF). The largest portion of the money is to assist Hospices to manage their deficits. The other, smaller portion is to develop new and innovative services, in partnerships with our community. This is a very exciting opportunity for us
and we will be engaging with our community to explore ways in which we may be able to work together on this. You will read further on in the newsletter (page 6) that we are about to experience some changes in our medical team. Our Dr Marion Taylor plans to retire from her clinical role at Hospice Wanganui. Marion will be sorely missed but I do hope that we can entice her to work with us in some other areas of Hospice care where her expertise is so invaluable. To fill the gap created by Dr Taylor’s retirement we have recruited Dr Mary Andhoga from England. Dr Andhoga arrives in New Zealand on 17th August and will spend some time orienting both here and in Taranaki before commencing work with us early in September. Dr Michael Bolton, our Specialist locum
doctor, is also returning for a month with us in September. Over the years Dr Bolton has helped us out by undertaking six separate locum positions, and this has been invaluable in allowing our regular Hospice doctors to have wellearned rest and relaxation time. This will be Dr Bolton’s final locum with us as he is moving into a very wellearned retirement. All in all, some very exciting times ahead for Hospice Wanganui, none of which would be possible without the continued and consistent support from you our donors and supporters. On behalf of the team, our patients and families, I thank you.
Karen Anderson CEO
It’s all good in the ‘hood John and Jacinta Hurley are franchise-owners for the ‘Z Energy’ stations from the Manawatu to the ‘Naki, and are great friends of Hospice Wanganui. Over the last five years Hospice Wanganui has been successful in being a nominated charity in the national “Good in the ‘hood” promotion, hosted locally by the team at Z Dublin St. In addition to that fundraising opportunity, John and Jacinta have readily said ‘yes’ when it comes to supporting other events we’re involved in. They have regularly come to the fundraising party with fuel gift cards for events and are open to offer their help in any way they can. As part of the GITH promo some of our volunteers spent the day on the forecourt washing windscreens and chatting to customers, as part of raising the awareness of Hospice and the work we do with our families. It was a fantastic opportunity of which John and Jacinta were great supporters. It was a great day for us and station manager Ray and his team were brilliant hosts. A great business partnership with a community heart.
WHS’s Hospice focus There was a lot of thought and heart behind the organisation of the recent “Superhero Fun Run” at Wanganui High School. In the midst of some of the wildest weather of the year, students and teachers dressed up as their favourite Superhero and tore off around an obstacle course, all to raise funds for Hospice. Heads of sport and prefects at WHS, Sammy Murphy and Tim Rowe and their organising committee, pulled together an outstanding event in which hundreds of students participated, raising an incredible $1888.80 for Hospice. Says Tim, “The initial reason behind the fundraiser was that we have had two teachers pass away recently.” Sammy continues, “The school was really sad, so it was good to have a change and have a fun thing. We chose Hospice because we wanted it go back into the local community, and because you’ve helped our teachers and loved ones.” Sammy, Tim and their organising crew gave themselves about a month to pull the event together, doing everything from creating a guessing game at 50c a shot, to producing a video to advertise and market the event to students. All of this outstanding effort contributed to the final total. Sammy said “We knew it would be heaps, but when the final total came out it was a surprise.” Tim tells me they have laid down a challenge for students in years to come, not only to raise funds but to create an awareness. He also says it’s an opportunity for them as students to leave a legacy. “We can come back to the school in a couple of years, see them still doing it, and think “we started that”.
3
Farming Friends of Hospice From small beginnings ten years ago we now have an organisation that has 300 cattle, 160 graziers and last financial year donated seventy one thousand dollars to Hospice Wanganui. To those original trustees, Tony Matthews, Ian Hadfield, Fred Westby, Robert Alward, the late Ian Strachan, our Chairman Eric Weir, and Powerco Trust for your initial financial support, we owe you a great debt of gratitude for your vision and enthusiasm. Our ability to support Hospice is due to our careful buying policy, along with excellent margins. Recently, the Achilles heel for us has been the dry conditions we have had over the last couple of years; also a fluctuating beef market, competition from other organisations for that elusive dollar, and dairy conversions reducing the number of cattle finishers in some areas. We recently celebrated ten years as an organisation and it was good to acknowledge the people who have steered the group to growth and success. We look forward to the next ten. To all of our supporters, graziers, transport operators, stock agents, various Lions Clubs and Balance Chartered Accountants, we owe you our heartfelt thanks for a job well done.
Brian Doughty
Hospice Wanganui Foundation The Hospice Wanganui Foundation is a registered charitable trust, established in 2002 with the purpose of assisting Hospice Wanganui to provide a free palliative care service in the Wanganui region. Its Trustees are Sandy Dobbin, Chartered Accountant (chair), Simon Cairncross, Investment Advisor and Jeannie Lacey, Chartered Accountant. The Hospice Wanganui Foundation depends on bequests or large gifts to build a capital sum that will generate sufficient income to enable it to achieve its goal to provide financial assistance, equipment, use of facilities, and other appropriate assistance to Hospice Wanganui and its patients. As at 31 March 2015, The Hospice Wanganui Foundation had net assets of $1.26 million. The goal is to achieve a capital sum of $2.5million, invested to continue to support Hospice Wanganui. Sound investment decisions have resulted in the Hospice Wanganui Foundation being able to make distributions to Hospice since 2003 to assist with operating costs and the purchase of vehicles. Monthly distributions continue to be made.
HOW CAN YOU HELP? 1. Wills: You may wish to include a charitable trust, such as The Hospice Wanganui Foundation, as a beneficiary in your Will. Your Bequest may be in the form of property (including furniture), an insurance policy, or money. 2. Trusts: When establishing a Family Trust, you may wish to include a charitable trust, such as The Hospice Wanganui Foundation, as a discretionary beneficiary. If you decide to remember The Hospice Wanganui Foundation in your Will or Trust, you can be assured that your gift will be invested wisely for the benefit of Hospice Wanganui.
BNI Wanganui Recently, members from the local business networking group BNI Wanganui made a $250 donation to Hospice. They raised this amount by collecting donations from their chapter members over a six-month period at their weekly meetings. Valda Brechmanis from Hospice Wanganui says that every dollar counts. “Each and every dollar donated to Hospice is valued and appreciated. In a small place like Wanganui the people who donate are important to us, and each individual contribution is really valued by our staff for what it can do to help families during a difficult time.” Amanda Gibbons, from Morrie Gibbons Signs and member of BNI Wanganui, says the chapter’s 19 members love having a relationship with Hospice Wanganui and giving back to the worthy organisation. “It gives us a great sense of pride in the community,” Amanda says. “Twice a year someone from Hospice visits our chapter to give us an update on what they’re up to. So it feels like our contributions really make a difference to the organisation.” Nationally Hospice New Zealand and BNI NZ have a longstanding and important relationship. Over the last decade, BNI NZ has raised over a million dollars for hospices throughout the country. Hospice NZ and BNI first starting to work together in 2005 and it’s this strong and enduring relationship that has made such a difference to Hospice and the people it supports.
Amanda Gibbons
4
Hospice staff Jess, Heather B, Heather J, Janice, Erin and Noni (in front) with our trans-Tasman locum, Dr Michael Bolton.
Tracey and Sue on the road in the “Central Plateau Scooter Challenge”, from Wanganui to Taupo.
Tema Hemi and the team from 100.0 AWAFM in Wanganui were keen supporters of Awareness Week this year.
Hospice volunteer Ross Duncan, honoured recently with the distinction of QSM, at Government House with Sir Jerry Mateparae.
Students at Wanganui High School brave the wicked weather in the “Superheroes Fun Run” for Hospice, raising almost $1900 from their week of activities.
5
Open for business! Volunteers Barry, Murray, Richard and Fran are all set for the hordes of hungry customers at the Garden Fete.
Volunteers Kevin Burke and Rangi Wills plant a beautiful Kauri at our Tree-planting Ceremony, where we honour the memories in the cards from the Christmas Tree.
Volunteer Dorrie, gets busy preparing for the Hospice Garden Fete.
Enjoying post-event drinks and nibbles are Jacqueline Trotter, Janet Lamont, Alan Burnet and “Homes for Hospice Tour” organiser, Liz Parker.
Dr Nani Aiono joined our staff recently, along with her rather cute companion, the gorgeous “Rocky”.
Johnny, Valda and Velga join Monique from Z Dublin Street, as community concierges for the day in the recent “Good in the ‘hood” promotion.
6 We are already half way through the year and it has been an interesting and rewarding six months. My focus has been partly on securing the medical team for the future, as I look forward to retiring from the clinical role. We anticipate the arrival of palliative care doctor Mary Andhoga from London at the end of August but we will not relax until she sets foot in Wanganui. Getting her through the Medical Council and immigration continues to be a challenging process. We are fortunate to have Dr. Nani Aiono in a locum role for three months. Nani is an Anaesthetist with a special interest in pain management. She is working two days a week and is covering some of the oncall work, which is greatly appreciated. We are also fortunate that Dr. Ilse Hofmeyr has expressed an interest in working at Hospice and we are negotiating with the Medical Council to enable her to do this. It is a joy to have her enthusiastic attendance on Hospice rounds. My wish and hope for the future is for Hospice work to expand more into the community and aged residential care, with public discussions and involvement in acknowledging mortality and planning for it. There are a number of projects around the world that are attempting this in different ways, for example, by encouraging Advanced Care Planning, by offering end-of-life education in schools, or by mobilizing teams of volunteers to offer supportive care in people’s homes. We still have a long way to go in order to enable a good death at home for all who want it. At Hospice we are running an audit on where people say they would like to die vs. where they actually die, and we will look at the reasons for the discrepancies. Dr. Atul Gawande, surgeon and author of the book “Being Mortal” has recently been speaking in New Zealand and has inspired many with his views on “living a good life - all the way to the very end”. Hospice Wanganui continues to host Trainee Interns for a morning out of their GP run in Wanganui. It is a delight to be involved in their training, and I feel that this exposure will have some influence on them as they head into their busy careers. I hope that we can continue to offer this service in the future. In September my husband Guy and I are heading for a holiday in South India, while Dr. Michael Bolton returns to cover the medical work. Fortune has it that one of my all-time palliative care heroes, Dr. Rajagopal works in Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala and we are invited to visit his centre. Dr. Rajagopal has been the driving force behind the development of palliative care in South India, and Kerala has an exemplary system of co-ordinated neighbourhood networks run largely by volunteers. We are very much looking forward to learning more about this. Wishing that you all remain warm and well through the winter!
Dr Marion’s view
Dr. Marion Taylor
From novice op-shopper to store manager! For someone who had never frequented a Hospice shop until looking for items for my son’s wedding, I was amazed at the variety of items stocked at the Wanganui Hospice Shops - clothing, furniture, kitchenware, books and so much more. What also struck me as I walked into the Gonville shop, was the warm friendly smile and greeting I received from the ladies behind the counter. The volunteer who greeted me showed a lot of interest in my request for glassware and went the extra mile to help me find what I needed - that’s what I call service! I had finished my previous employment of several years only seven weeks prior to that visit to the shop, and was in the process of looking for a change in direction, maybe even considering voluntary work. I was browsing the internet when I saw an advert for Manager of the Gonville Hospice Shop, so I applied, and here I am! What a fantastic change working with lovely people who are so dedicated to such a good cause. Every day is different as you never know what sorts of donations you’ll get through the door from the kind people in our community. It could be anything from a book, to a kitchen sink. What I really enjoy is receiving the goods, pricing and placing them in the shop, and then seeing how long it takes for a happy customer to purchase them. The shortest time would be about five minutes, before they were snapped up! Since becoming manager of the Gonville shop, I wanted to
focus on a point of difference. There has been a recent influx of opportunity shops set up in Wanganui, so I wanted to lead by example - getting out amongst the volunteers, greeting and talking to our customers. Some changes to the layout of the shop were made to improve access to some areas, and has made it easier for customers to manoeuvre around the shop. Our customers seem to really enjoy “our place” and it’s wonderful to hear comments like “I love this shop, it’s one of the best”. It leaves us all with such a great feeling. I recently invited residents from two Wanganui retirement villages to the shop for morning tea, and to have a wander around. It was great to be able to talk with them and note how easy it was (or was not), for them to manoeuvre their way around the store. I’m especially interested in looking for ways to improve the shopping experience of our customers. We must not forget that there are a number of very dedicated volunteers behind the scenes at the Hospice shops who make them successful. We also acknowledge the kind people who keep donations of goods rolling in. We look forward to your visit to the Gonville shop!
Sue Lumsden
7
donate funds or resources
create a fundraiser or awareness event
donate to, or purchase from our Hospice shops
donate time, skills and enthusiasm as a volunteer
arrange to leave a bequest
We’re looking good! Come and see for yourself! Connect with us on our fresh, new-look website!
www.hospicewanganui.org.nz
Patron Mayor Annette Main Trustees Jeff Gilbertson (Chairman) Jeannie Lacey Rangi Wills Sonja Loveridge Dr Andrew Zimmerman Kirsten Bryant Sarah Little Pauline Waugh (Board secretary) Management Team CEO: Karen Anderson Medical Director: Dr Marion Taylor Clinical Services Manager: Heather Brown Accounts Administration: Robyn Podjursky Public Relations & Volunteer Services Manager: Valda Brechmanis Quality & Risk Co-ordinator and HR Adviser: Kath Steele Administrator: Erin Watson HOSPICE WANGANUI Kowhainui Drive, 78 Virginia Road PO Box 4284, Otamatea Wanganui 4500, New Zealand Phone Fax Freephone Web Email
06 349 0080 06 349 0082 (Clinical) 06 349 2690 (Administration) 0800 68 33 68 www.hospicewanganui.org.nz
[email protected]
CHARITIES COMMISSION REGISTRATION
CC10352
Newsletter of: Hospice Wanganui Kowhainui Drive PO Box 4284 Wanganui 4540
SUPPORTER’S ADDRESS LABEL
www.hospicewanganui.org.nz Do you have a brilliant idea you could turn into a fundraiser for Hospice Wanganui? We’re seeking the support of interested parties in our community who would like to create something which could potentially be a key fundraiser for Hospice, and make a regular appearance on our event calendar. If you have an idea that you’d love to see come to fruition, we’d like to hear from you. Call Valda Brechmanis
(06) 349 2697
