Whangarei Children’s Ward Refurbishment
We know that tamariki who are welcomed and looked after in a caring, calm, supportive environment when they are in hospital are less likely to regress in their health, which makes for a quicker recovery back to good health and less stressful experience. This is something we would all want for our tamariki should they be in this situation.
The purpose of this campaign is to ensure that every child who becomes a patient at Whangārei Hospital benefits fully from a calm and supportive environment.
Donations will provide items such as comfortable chairs and beds for patients and caregivers, distraction devices (interactive wall designs, graphite wall wraps, treatment room monitors, TVs for patient rooms, special learning equipment, laptops, gaming consoles), upgraded furniture and new whiteware.
We will also need your support for Te Reo Māori resources (wall decals, books, and games) and additional paediatric medical equipment specifically designed to support the clinical needs of our tamariki. This in turn will have the added benefit of helping to reduce the pressure on an already stretched health system.
With your support we can go above and beyond the traditional clinical setting, which is more conducive to the care and environment we want to provide to our tamariki in hospital.
You can give as a one-off or regular donation, or you can run your own personalised fundraising campaign via JustGiving to share amongst your friends and whānau.
Once our target has been reached, ongoing donations will be used for further upgrades to Whangārei’s Children’s Ward and also for other tamariki health initiatives with Te Whatu Ora in Te Tai Tokerau (formally Northland District Health Board). Your contributions will always be needed and appreciated.
For the Case for Support, please download the PDF document here: Whangarei Children’s Ward Refurbishment – Case for Support Final
Mackenzie is our Face for the Appeal and has Rapid-onset dystonia parkinsonism and Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood she has had numerous visits to the Whangārei Children’s Ward both as an acutely unwell patient and for her three weekly infusions. For Mackenzie’s Story, please download the PDF document here: Whangarei Children’s Ward Refurbishment – Mackenzie’s Story
Photo above of Pediatrician Dr Renee Liang, Mackenzie (patient at the Children’s Ward at Whangārei Hospital) and mother Rochelle, taken by Kirsty Halliday from Kirsty Joy Photography
Click here to Donate by Bank Transfer
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This campaign will support the purchase of beds for caregivers so we will be able to provide a comfortable sleeping environment for whānau a ngā tamariki enabling them to stay together during the child’s stay in hospital. The extra medical equipment purchased will give the tamariki a higher quality of care such as heated bassinets, humidifiers, apnoea monitors, wheelchairs, and commode chairs.
Here are some examples of what your donation could provide…
| $20 | could buy a sensory/fidget toy to distract a child from an uncomfortable procedure |
| $50 | could buy a Lego set or board game to reduce boredom and anxiety |
| $160 | could buy a chair for visiting whanau to take a break |
| $500 | could buy a baby bottle steriliser |
| $1,000 | could buy a lounge chair to allow a sick child to sit comfortably while resting or playing |
| $2,000 | could buy an apnoea monitor to monitor breathing in premature infants and at-risk babies |
| $2,758 | could buy a convertible armchair/bed to allow a child’s caregiver to rest alongside them |
| $4,000 | could buy a humidifier to provide heated and moist oxygen for babies who require respiratory support |
For the Full Equipment List, please email us at info@northlandcommunityfoundation.org.nz or call 021 558 224.
If you are interested in fundraising for us, download a copy of our poster and brochure here:
ChildHealthAppeal_A3_Donate_Poster_14October2021 (1)
Childrens Ward Appeal Brochure 3 panel DL Brochure 14Oct21 WEB
The Paediatric Society of New Zealand has undertaken extensive research1 into the importance of the environment in which tamariki and adolescents are cared for whilst in hospital. It is critical that the environment is appropriate for both age and stage of development, from infant through to adolescence and that the physical environment is designed, furnished and decorated appropriately to meet these needs and those of their whānau. This is why we need your support to both meet and exceed these needs for all our tamariki.
The research demonstrates that the provision of whānau-centred care, that is inclusive of parents and caregivers, is considered an important principle of child and adolescent inpatient care. The medical and psychosocial needs of tamariki and adolescents differ from those of adults, and as a result, they have unique vulnerabilities. Inpatient Child Health best practice states that the care in any healthcare setting is dependent more on the developmental stage of a child, as opposed to their diagnosis.
Research 1: The Paediatric Society of New Zealand (2002), New Zealand Standards for the Well Being of Children and Adolescents Receiving Healthcare. A full copy of this report can be shared on request.
For document about Frequently Asked Questions please go here: Whangarei Children’s Ward Refurbishment – FAQ
Supporters of the Appeal
Special thanks goes out to the following businesses and people that have supported the appeal:
- Kirsty Halliday for the beautiful photos of Mackenzie and her mum Rochelle at the Whangārei Hospital:
