Our new MP for Ilam Sarah Pallett popped in for a visit to the Charity Hospital. It was great to show her around and have a chat.
Sarah is pictured with Hospital Manager Carl Shaw (left) and Sue and Phil Bagshaw in the hospital’s Endoscopy theatre.
A free endoscopy clinic for people aged under 50 with rectal bleeding run by the Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust is saving lives.
The clinic provides this vital procedure that is unaffordable for a large percentage of the population and has detected multiple and significant issues including patients who have already developed colorectal cancer.
“We see people who are at best living with uncomfortable conditions and at worst at risk of getting colorectal cancer,” says Chairman Philip Bagshaw.
“Our services are free because of the commitment of our 300 volunteers, many of whom are medical professionals from the CDHB and private practice, who regularly and generously offer their time to help others.”
To date the hospital has seen over 1503 of these patients and expect to see a further 600 each year. The Charity Hospital also provides other endoscopy services for a wider age range with a referral from the patient’s GP.
The hospital’s endoscopy unit has recently been extended so more free procedures can be undertaken and includes separate consultation rooms with improved privacy and access for both patients and staff along and a larger reception area.
The Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust provides FREE elective day surgery, medical outpatients clinics, dentistry, oral surgery and counselling for those in the Canterbury community who can’t access care from the public or private health systems.
To be eligible patients do not have medical insurance or the means to pay for their treatment privately. They must also be a referred by their general practitioner or dentist for most of the hospital’s services.
The Charity Hospital currently provides colonoscopy (acute and screening), gynaecology and women’s health, general surgery (abdominal, rectal), oral surgery and dentistry, counselling (self-referral), orthopaedics (upper and lower limb), cataract surgery, dietetics and urology.
Over the years many doctors, nurses, dentists, health professionals and public-spirited people have volunteered their time and expertise to help make the charity hospital a success and enable us to provide our services for free.
Congratulations to our trustee Dr Sue Bagshaw on being made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her 30 years’ work in the health sector.
A General Practitioner Sue established the 198 Youth Centre in 1995 offering a one stop shop providing young people with free doctor’s appointments, counselling and addiction support services.
Renamed as 298 Youth Health when they moved to Barbadoes Street the centre is now moving to a larger space in Amuri Park which is off Bealey Avenue.
Instead of thinking about retiring she is working hard to raise $10 million for a permanent and larger facility on a site purchased by the Anglican Church in Salisbury St.
She married Phil, founder of the Canterbury Charity Hospital and recent recipient of a New Zealand Order of Merit, in 1972.
Sue was also made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2002 New Year’s Honours.
For more information about the 298 Youth Health Centre visit their website
The Charity Hospital has been named as the charity for the City2Surf event run by Star Media.
Celebrating its 45th year City2Surf is being held on Sunday 24 March 2019 (rain or shine) and is made up of two courses – the longer 14km from Pioneer Stadium to Ferrymead and the shorter 6km from Hansen Park to Ferrymead Park.
Over the years the Star Media City2Surf has covered enough kilometres to run around the work 120 times and helped burn over 184,730,00 calories.
“The City2Surf is a great opportunity to not only increase the profile of the Charity Hospital as a local Canterbury charity but also be involved with a massive community event which last year attracted around 12,000 entries,” said Charity Hospital Fundraising Co-ordinator Rosie Graham.
“We also like the team aspect of the event as we are very much a team-based charity with over 300 volunteers all playing a part in providing our free services. And we really appreciate that Star Media chose us as the charity for this major event.”
More information about the event is available at www.city2surf.co.nz.
