Carney widow opens $5m cancer facility

OFFICIALS: Health Minister Jonathan Coleman, flanked by Northland MP Mike Sabin (left) and Northland DHB cultural advisor Te Ihi Tito, was welcomed ahead of the official opening.

The efforts of an entire Northland community came to fruition yesterday as the Jim Carney Cancer Treatment Centre was officially opened at Whangarei Hospital.

On the reception wall of the $5 million facility were over 400 plaques honouring the donations of the Northland community that made it possible.

The facility was the result of a collaboration between Northland District Health Board and the Northland Community Foundation, which initiated the three-year Project Promise fundraising campaign. The centre is named after prominent Northlander and philanthropist Jim Carney who died in November 2000 from bone cancer, though he previously suffered from prostate cancer for 14 years.

His widow Mary Carney was the one who officially cut the ribbon to open the new facility yesterday.

Mr Carney would be "delighted" with how the facility turned out, Mrs Carney said. "He loved Northland and he really wanted to help when he could."

The new facility on Hospital Rd is a 741sq m building that includes, but is not limited to, nine treatment spaces, five consultation rooms, a child and youth area and a meeting room for family conferences. The room that many patients will receive treatment in has an extensive view over Whangarei.

Hundreds of people will use the facility a year, many who previously would have had to travel to Auckland.

Almost $3 million so far has been raised by the community through Project Promise, including a significant donation by the Carney Family Trust. The remainder of the funding was supplied by the Northland DHB, though thousands of dollars will continue to flow in from ongoing donations in the community.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman, who officially opened the building, said it was great to take part in such an "inspiring" day.

"It's very humbling to think that this has been driven by the community," Dr Coleman said. "I can't emphasise enough what this is going to do for Northlanders".

The "state-of-the-art" facility should serve as a model for other DHBs looking to upgrade their oncology facilities, Dr Coleman said. "Well, you couldn't get better than this."

The invitation-only opening event was attended by Whangarei MP Shane Reti, Northland MP Mike Sabin and a host of other community leaders, hospital staff and cancer sufferers.

Northland DHB chief executive Nick Chamberlain said the new space was a huge upgrade from the previously "cramped" oncology unit.

"Although they [the patients] never complained they deserved so much better," Dr Chamberlain said.

The community support of the project, which was first suggested by Mr Chamberlain, was incredible, he said. "I really couldn't help but get swept away with the community enthusiasm".

The Jim Carney Cancer Treatment Centre will open its doors to the first patients on November 17.

Here are more images from yesterday's opening ceremony.