How supporting your local hospice directly supports your community

It’s the halfway point of our month-long Hands Up for Hospice appeal, championed by NBS, and the community has already raised an awesome $26,342 to support the Nelson Tasman Hospice!

This week is also Hospice Awareness Week, which runs nationwide from 13–19 May. This week, held annually, is all about commemorating the many ways hospice touches the lives of people over time, and reducing the stigma and fear around talking about what hospice care means for patients and their whānau. There are 32 independent hospices operating throughout the country, and in 2023 they collectively cared for over 10,000 patients – a third of people who died in Aotearoa last year.

Since 1987, Nelson Tasman Hospice Trust, a local charity, has provided essential, highly skilled palliative care and support to our community. Today, around 210 patients in the region with life-limiting illnesses and their whānau receive this service each month and on average this care lasts around 126 days.

A common misconception that Nelson Tasman Hospice is working to change this Hospice Awareness Week is that hospice only cares for patients with cancer. In reality, in 2023 approximately 48% of Nelson Tasman Hospice patients had other diagnoses, such as respiratory, cardiovascular, renal, neurological or other non-cancer conditions.

Nelson Tasman Hospice Chief Executive Tony Gray says what makes directly supporting your local hospice so important is that your contribution goes right back into the community, and helps a local team of 45 clinicians support patients with any life-limiting condition.

“It’s wonderful we are already a quarter of the way to our goal. Seeing everyone share their support of Nelson Tasman Hospice with photos from fundraising events or video throw-downs challenging people to join the Heave on 31 May shows that when a community comes together for a good cause, anything is possible.

“The money raised will be used to help our doctors, nurses and allied health team, including social workers and clinical psychologists, provide specialist palliative care to people throughout the Nelson Tasman region.

“There’s still two weeks left to support your local hospice, your way, and help us reach our $100,000 goal.”

Here’s how you can get involved:

· Donating to the Hands Up for Hospice campaign directly at handsupforhospice.org/donate

· Holding a festive ‘High Tea for Hospice’ – elegant, quirky or decades-themed, anything goes – or attend one that’s advertised on the website.

· Putting together a ‘Host for Hospice’ fundraising event of your choice. Board game night? Polar plunge at Tāhunanui Beach? Bike race? It’s all good!

· ‘Raise for Hospice’ by supporting the many participating local businesses who are donating a portion of sales to the appeal.

· Challenge your rivals (or best friends) and get a team together for the live ‘Heave for Hospice’ tug-of-war on 31 May. Teams will gather at Upper Trafalgar Street to show off their strength for a good cause – challenges have already been thrown down by Nelson City Council versus Tasman District Council and Gibbons Naylor versus Scott Construction.

· Texting ‘HANDSUP’ to 2923 to donate $3 to Nelson Tasman Hospice, which NBS will match up to a total of $10,000, doubling the impact of your donation! Every text donation of $3 will result in one donation of $3 to the Nelson Tasman Hospice Trust from Nelson Building Society (NBS) up to a maximum of $10,000.

Learn more at handsupforhospice.org.nz. Spot someone raising their hand in the community? Let us know by tagging us with #HandsUpforHospice!

ABOUT HANDS UP FOR HOSPICE

The biannual Hands Up for Hospice appeal campaign helps raise much-needed funds for the Nelson Tasman Hospice. Each year, Hospice faces a $3.5 million funding shortfall to cover day-to-day operational costs such as insurance, utility costs and payroll, as well as ensuring it can continue to provide specialist palliative care for free throughout the community.

ABOUT HOSPICE AWARENESS WEEK

Hospice Awareness Week 2024 runs from 13–19 May 2024. It celebrates the impact of hospice care across Aotearoa, as well as the 32 independent hospices in the country.