Children’s palliative care service Rainbow Place wins community grant for nurse

One of the Rainbow Place children enjoying a visit from Sam and his Farmyard Friends at a Rainbow Place parents and caregivers morning tea.

New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) has awarded $19,346 to the Waikato Community Hospice Trust to support a registered nurse position for children’s palliative care service Rainbow Place.

Hospice Waikato CEO Craig Tamblyn says the grant is for the salary of one of the Rainbow Place nurses and will enable service delivery to continue at no cost to our families and whānau.

Rainbow Place is New Zealand’s only specialist community palliative care service for children aged from zero to 18 years old.

“As part of this service delivery, our team walks alongside our families, offering 24/7 nursing and psychosocial care during an incredibly stressful time for families,” says Tamblyn. ”The complexity of clinical care required to care for our young patients is growing, and our Rainbow Place team support and advocate for our families within the challenging environment of the medical system and social services in New Zealand.”

“It is hard to imagine anything worse than learning that your child has an illness for which there is no cure,” he says.

The Rainbow Place team provides wrap-around support either in the homes of fragile children living throughout the Waikato or at its 11-bed inpatient unit in Hamilton. An important part of this care is the provision of respite for the families, allowing parents an opportunity to spend time with other family members, have an uninterrupted night’s sleep, or simply visit the supermarket.

“Many of our Rainbow Place mums and dads are more than just parents. They are also required to be around-the-clock nurses and carers, and we know that our support lightens that load significantly,” says Tamblyn.

“We are extremely proud to be able to offer our care to families who so desperately need support during this difficult time. Receiving such a significant grant from NZCT will have an immediate positive impact on the provision of paediatric palliative care in Waikato.”