Project Promise nears halfway

This wonderful group of people has donated hundreds of hours of their time. Without them, what Project Promise has achieved would not have been possible.Richard Ayton, Northland Community Foundation chairman Generous Northlanders, individuals and businesses have donated more than $1.5 million to Project Promise, the Northland Community Foundation's campaign to raise the money needed to start construction of a new cancer treatment centre at Whangarei Hospital.

The foundation initially set out to raise $3 million in three years, but the final cost is now expected to be just over $5 million. Northland District Health Board will contribute around $1 million that it had earmarked for upgrading its current in-hospital facilities.

That leaves $4 million to be raised by the community to provide what Project Promise describes as a valuable stand-alone facility that will make life much easier for Northland cancer patients.

Northland Community Foundation chairman Richard Ayton said having reached the $1.5 million mark was a huge milestone and boost for the campaign.

"This brings our goal even more clearly into focus," he said.

"We set ourselves a goal of raising $3 million to get the ball rolling while we worked on choosing a site and working through with NDHB staff and community what's needed in the new unit. Now we have all that, we've been able to cost the project."

To get to the $4 million target more quickly, Mr Ayton said there would be some changes to the way Project Promise operated. The focus would now be on engaging corporate sponsors and acquiring funds through applications for grants from charitable trusts that shared the Project Promise vision for better health services for Northlanders.

That would be a more efficient use of time and resources, and because of that change in direction the Project Promise Volunteer Events Group would move to help other community organisations with their fundraising efforts. The group comprised experienced volunteers who had honed their fundraising skills during their time with Project Promise, and their availability to the rest of the community would be a lasting legacy of the campaign.

Mr Ayton said their contribution to Project Promise had been very much appreciated.

"This wonderful group of people has donated hundreds of hours of their time. Without them, what Project Promise has achieved would not have been possible," he added.

But while Project Promise would not be staging community events itself, it would continue to support community fundraising initiatives, and was looking to the continued support of Northlanders. A further local contribution of more than $55,000 had been made recently courtesy of a charity auction and dinner.

The planned cancer treatment centre would provide day-stay treatment for cancer patients, including initial consultations, chemotherapy and follow-up from a team of medical experts, including other related nursing and support services.

Adults in need of radiation treatment and those with complex cases requiring specialist care would still have to go to Auckland, and children may still receive some of their treatment at Starship Children's Hospital's specialised child cancer unit.

More information about Project Promise can be found at www.northlandcommunityfoundation.org.nz or www.facebook.com/ProjectPromiseNorthland