"The Waipuna Hospice Foundation needs contributions from this community to ensure that hospice services are there, when the need is there. We are reliant on the goodwill of our community today, to protect the provision of free hospice services for tomorrow.
"We are calling on individuals to make provision in their wills, bequeathing funds and assets or by making one-off or multi-year financial gifts to the Foundation during their lifetime. Just as others have done for us, it is now our turn to pay it forwards," he says.
Waipuna Hospice chief executive Richard Thurlow says Waipuna Hospice has more patients than ever, and the need is only going to keep growing to an "overwhelming level".
He says Waipuna Hospice has a history of continually attempting to find new and innovative ways to care for patients within the same cost structure. But, forecasted growth - with a potential to "overwhelm our future" - brings with it a need to look closely and hard at what can be done to ensure Waipuna Hospice can continue to provide specialist palliative care.
The District Health Board currently provides about 58 per cent of Waipuna Hospice's total operational funding. This means Waipuna Hospice needs to raise (based on current budgeted expenditure) $2.5 million per year over and above what it is paid by the DHB. That equates to $48,000 per week.
Without any commitment of increased DHB funding comes the need to raise more funds to handle growing demand, via a community already highly engaged in raising funds for Waipuna Hospice, Richard says.
Want to do your part? Here's how:
Talk to your adviser about leaving a bequest. Or, contact the Waipuna Hospice office for an information pack that details options for giving - 0800 4 WAIPUNA (0800 492 478) or visit www.waipunafortomorrow.org.nz or email info@waipunafortomorrow.org.nz.
