MIL OSI – Source: Waikato District Health Board – Press Release/Statement
Headline: Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal aims high
Countdown Waikato group manager Karl Wareham with Culliana, 10 and countdown store managers.
Our imaginations are our dream factories as children which is something Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal tries to unlock.
For the past seven years, the national annual appeal raises funds through community events, raffles, wristbands, bake sales and more to help children become well enough to realise their dreams.
In the Waikato 18 Countdown stores will be selling raffle tickets, wristbands and organising events, like a golf tournament to help Waikato Hospital
One of our smaller patients this year has raised her hand to be the face of the campaign, as she knows first-hand how valuable Waikids is.
Culliana Taukiri is a one of Waikato’s paediatric patients with a big personality. She suffers from a condition which causes her to develop several chest infections. Every day she does two physiotherapy sessions on top often been admitted to hospital.
Midcourter Sam Sinclair with Culliana Taukiri, 10, at Waikato Hopsital’s playrooms earlier this year
Culliana is such a bright personality, who brings a lot of joy to the Waikids staff.
The hospital has put out a call to help purchase a resuscitaire, which is used to resuscitate and transport newborn and premature babies, a BrainZ monitor which is vital in assessing brain function in newborns and retinal camera to assess babies’ eyes development.
Countdown Waikato group manager Karl Wareham said the Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal helps children’s dreams come true by raising money for medical equipment that can give them better quality of life.
“These machines will help give babies born in the Waikato the very best start in life, and that is something we are proud to support,” he said.
“The hospital has given us a massive challenge to meet but we know that our communities and Countdown are up for it.”
Last year Countdown Waikato donated $110,813 to help the health board purchase a range of equipment to aid paediatric care at Waikato Hospital and for the first time at our hospitals in Tokoroa, Te Kuiti and Taumarunui.
Of that $110,813 more than $33,000 was raised by the Cambridge Countdown store alone, which coincidentally was also the most amount of money raised by any store in New Zealand.
The appeal now in its ninth year has raised more than $8 million for 14 hospitals across New Zealand.
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