Countdown fundraising effort nets nearly $100,000

Tuesday 5 December, 2017

Countdown fundraising effort nets nearly $100,000 for sick Bay children

Sick Bay of Plenty children have been given a boost of nearly $100,000 thanks to the Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal.

The annual appeal, in its 11th year, donated $99,440 to the Bay of Plenty District Health Board (BOPDHB) in today’s cheque presentation at Fraser Cove Countdown, Tauranga. BOPDHB Chief Executive Helen Mason said accepting a cheque of this size was humbling and thanked everyone for their fundraising efforts.

“This is my first year of having the honour as CE to receive the cheque from Countdown and on behalf of the DHB I would like to say how deeply grateful we are for this continued generosity.”

The money allowed the DHB to purchase the ‘nice-to-haves’ over and above what could be afforded within the constraints of budget said Mrs Mason.

“It gives us the chance to buy equipment which we wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. This has a direct impact on our patients of course and is also a great morale booster for staff.”

Countdown Bay of Plenty Group Manager Martyn Douglas said the appeal was about giving back to the community.

The appeal sees fundraising events and initiatives held over a three-month period, and this year included cake sales, BBQs, raffles, a quiz night and a pool competition. Food companies also donate a percentage of their profits from products sold in local stores.

The 2017 efforts also saw two Countdown staff members (Group Manager Phil Guilford and Tauranga Store Manager Craig Taylor) commit to running 42kms a week over the appeal’s 12 weeks. That’s an average of 6kms every day and an aggregate total of 504kms.

Examples of equipment purchased with last year’s donation include a Giraffe Resuscitaire (used for resuscitating babies soon after birth - cost $60,000); a portable blood analyser (used for getting quick blood test results - cost $22,990) and a portable patient monitor (bedside monitor supplying comprehensive patient information at a glance – cost $43,495).

The 2017 Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal ran from 7 August until 29 October. Nationally the appeal raised an impressive $1.26 million this year. Locally last year $128,958.90 was donated to the BOPDHB and $70,086 in 2015.

The appeal has raised more than $11.6 million since it first began in 2007. It fundraises for 11 children's hospitals in Whangarei Hospital, Kidz First Children's Hospital - Auckland, Waikato Hospital, Tauranga and Whakatāne Hospitals, Hawkes Bay Hospital, Wellington Hospital, Greymouth Hospital, Christchurch Hospital, Dunedin Hospital, Waitakere and North Shore Hospital, and Southland Hospital.

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