Hub relaunch celebrates 40 years of caring

As part of the Otago Community Hospice’s 40-year anniversary the Oamaru hub had its official opening last week.

About 50 people including Otago Community Hospice clinical staff, board members, as well as health and service leaders were present for the relaunch of the North Otago Clinical Hub, behind the Hospice Shop on Thames Highway.

While the hospice hub had reopened last May the ‘‘stars had aligned to bring everyone together’’ for the official launch, hospice chief executive Ginny Green said.

‘‘There was a great turnout from right across the community, it was lovely.

‘‘People that have helped with the hospice, people that have helped with the original building and people who have helped us right from the getgo.

‘‘It was a really good mix of people, supporters from the community,’’ Ms Green said.

The hospice is the only specialist palliative care provider in Otago, the service is free and delivered across the entire Otago region and over to Haast on the West Coast.

The combined hospice facilities look after over 1000 patients and their wha ¯nau each year and 40% are rural.

In her speech Ms Green said the Oamaru building was a ‘‘testament to generosity, commitment and vision’’ as they celebrated ‘‘40 years of caring’’.

She thanked Sally Anne Donnelly as a friend and supporter of the hospice and the Wilson family whose donation made the purchase of the building possible.

‘‘Their gift transformed how we work here in North Otago.

‘‘What they enabled us to create was more than just a building — it was a gathering place for our community, a home for our team and a sustainable community asset,’’ Ms Green said.

The building on Thames Highway houses the hospice shop, and accommodates a residential care team, two full-time nurses, social workers, counsellors and palliative care doctors.

There are four main areas in the hub including counselling rooms and a seminar room for education courses for health assistants.

Hospice communications adviser Kelly Meade said the staff worked very closely with GP’s, hospitals, district nurses and health services, allowing the palliative care process to be less stressful.

‘‘The simple things can be daunting at the best of times, but when you are carrying grief or everything else to do with it, they become almost unbearable,’’ she said.

Also present at the official launch was Virginia Dyer, a niece of the family that bequeathed the money for the building.

Mrs Dyer said she was ‘‘extremely proud’’ to be part of the celebrations.

‘‘I’m really proud that my uncle and aunt gave the money to buy the building and coming in today I didn’t have any idea that the hospice had such a wide range of support and services to the community, it’s mind blowing,’’ she said.

Kaupapa Māori care coordinator Harlam Uiti-Collins was there to represent the Māori care team including fellow co-ordinator Fran Barber.

Mr Uiti-Collins said their team was there to support the Māori community within the Otago region in ‘‘offering guidance around tikanga [customs and traditional values] around passing away in the home and a whole range of advice’’.

‘‘Wherever the need is, they give me a waka and that is where I go, I came to support the many that have contributed to this project and all the services the hospice provides,’’ he said.

While the hospice’s core service is partially funded by the government with the balance raised in the community, this year the organisation needs to raise $3 million.