Congratulations Sue

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

Hospital named as City2Surf charity

Hospital named as City2Surf charity

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.

Congratulations to Philip Bagshaw

Congratulations to Philip Bagshaw

Congratulations to the Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust’s co-founder and chairman Philip Bagshaw (pictured left) who was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year’s honours for his services to health.
The Canterbury Charity Hospital has been open for 11 years, providing much-needed free surgical, medical, dental and counselling services to Cantabrians in need.
The Trust does not receive any Government funding so relies solely on the generosity of the local community and businesses to fund the $880,000 a year needed to run its services. With a team of 300 volunteers, 82 cents of every $ donated goes directly into patient care. Please click this link to donate – your support is much appreciated

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NZ Army Band to perform at fundraising Gala

NZ Army Band to perform at fundraising Gala

The NZ Army Band takes top billing at this year’s Charity Hospital fundraising event performing at an evening already jam-packed with exciting entertainment, a live auction and delicious plated dinner.

The Charity Hospital Gala is being held on Friday 30 November at the fabulous Wigram Air Force Museum with tickets available for a limited time for $1600 for a table of 10 guests.

The Gala helps to raise the $880,000 we need to continue to provide our free medical, surgical, dentistry and counselling services to Cantabrians in need.

The Charity Hospital’s annual fundraising event has a reputation for being a fun-filled night out attracting people from all walks of life and, with everything laid on, as a no-fuss stress-free Christmas function for colleagues, clients or staff.

To purchase tickets please visit our Shop Page.

Charity Hospital wins Community of the Year award

Charity Hospital wins Community of the Year award

The Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust has won the 2018 Community of the Year award as part of the recently announced Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year award.

“The Charity Hospital’s vision has always been ‘by the community – for the community’ so we are delighted to win this award,” said Trust chairman and surgeon Mr Philip Bagshaw.

“The hospital and the provision of our free services wouldn’t happen without our huge community of volunteer specialists who donate time and expertise for patients across Canterbury.” Unique in NZ, the unpaid specialists are supported by a large number of volunteers including nurses, technicians, receptionists and fund raisers.

The other finalists were Pillars Auckland and the Whangawehi Catchment Management Group from Hawke’s Bay. The New Zealander of the Year awards.

The Charity Hospital was nominated for Community of the Year award which recognised organisations that share a strong sense of community spirit and play a vital role in enhancing the social, economic, cultural or environmental prosperity of their region.

“It is important to recognise and encourage these groups as their efforts make our communities stronger and more vibrant and promote true community spirit for this and generations to come,” says New Zealander of the Year national manager Glyn Taylor.

The Trust does not receive any Government funding and relies on fundraising events, donations and bequests to raise the funds required to run its free services.

The Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust last year celebrated 10 years since it opened its doors in Bishopdale and has clocked up over 14,000 patient visits during that time.

Celebrating 10 years since doors first opened

Celebrating 10 years since doors first opened

Over 14,000 patients helped as Canterbury Charity Hospital celebrates 10th birthday

If you’d asked Canterbury Charity Hospital co-founder Phil Bagshaw about the future of the new Canterbury Charity Hospital on opening day 10 years ago, he would never have predicted it would grow to encompass three high-tech building developments, two state-of-the-art theatres, oral surgery suites and multiple consulting rooms, staffed by over 300 dedicated volunteer medical and support staff.

“I thought it would only be a low-tech facility. I never dreamed it would provide high-tech services across so many varied areas of healthcare,” he says.

Nor would he have dreamed how many Cantabrians in need the hospital and its volunteer workforce would be able to help. To date, 14,337 free patient visits have been clocked up at the Harewood Road facility, providing care to many who are languishing in pain and discomfort, denied assessment and treatment from an under-resourced public health system. All patients have to be referred by their general practitioner or dentist.

Sumner retiree Ross Clapp was the first patient to receive surgery at the Canterbury Charity Hospital 10 years ago today (31 August 2007), with Bagshaw providing Ross with the hernia repair he so desperately needed.

“I am, to this day, eternally grateful for having my surgery at the Charity Hospital. If it hadn’t been for Phil Bagshaw and the wonderful team that day, I don’t know how much longer I may have waited for my operation in the public system,” says Ross.

Bagshaw says local GP’s have referred thousands of patients with nowhere else to turn to the hospital.

“What we have done shows there is massive unmet need for hospital-level healthcare. I only wish we could do more and that what we have achieved in Canterbury could spread around the whole country,” says Bagshaw, who last year co-authored original research showing that levels of unmet need are large and extend nationwide.

Despite the hospital’s desire to do more, what’s been achieved already by the country’s one and only stand-alone Charity Hospital is truly impressive.

The total of free 14,377 patient visits include:
4950 outpatient visits
2045 oral surgery and dental treatments
1375 general surgery procedures
829 gynaecological procedures
424 orthopaedic operations
331 audio or ear procedures
178 endoscopy procedures
119 ophthalmic or eye operations
63 vascular procedures
3587 free post-quake counselling sessions

Charity Hospital Executive Officer Carl Shaw says none of this would have been possible without the willingness and enthusiasm of local specialists, surgeons, nurses and theatre staff giving generously of their time to help those in need.

Oxford Women’s Health gynaecologist Simon Jones is one of many local surgeons who regularly donate their time and skills for free at the Charity Hospital.

“It’s gone from strength to strength and the improvements made at the hospital over the years are state of the art,” says Simon Jones. “It’s a pleasure to work there and I personally find it hugely satisfying”.

Phil Bagshaw is keen to also pay tribute to the hundreds of generous donors who’ve stepped up to support the hospital, as well as the non-medical volunteers who’ve assisted with everything from reception duties, fundraising, building maintenance and even gardening.

“I’m so proud of how the community has responded. They have generously given time and money in ways that are truly magnificent.”

As for the future, Bagshaw says as long as the support continues, the hospital will continue to thrive.

“We’ll keep looking for where the public healthcare system is leaving people in need and we will always try to fill the gaps as best we can.

“It remains my hope however, that one day our public hospitals will again open their doors to all those people in need.  If such a happy day were ever to arrive we could close the doors to the Charity Hospital with the satisfaction that we were no longer needed,” he says.

Canterbury Charity Hospital at a glance
August 31 2007: Opening of Stage One: The Ron Ball Day Surgery facility (surgery, recovery and assessment)
2012. Opening of Stage 2: Patricia Mauger House (endoscopy suite, counselling offers and dentistry clinic for WINZ clients).
2015. Opening of Stage 3: Major extensions to Ron Ball Day Surgery including a new larger recovery ward, theatre upgrade and improved patient facilities.
2017. Opening of Stage 4: Warner Mauger House (oral surgery, community room and administration offices.

Canterbury Charity Hospital needs to raise $750,000 ($15,000 per week) to cover its running costs.

Of every dollar fundraised, 82 cents goes directly to patient care.

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