BOPDHB and Countdown staff with the 2016 Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal cheque for $ 128,958.90 . Front row kneeling from left : Store Manager Countdown Whakatāne Tony Chegwidden ; BOPDHB Chief Operating Officer Pete Chandler ; and Countdown Central North Island Zone Manager Ryan McMullen .
Record Fundraising Effort by Countdown Helps Sick Bay Children
Sick Bay of Plenty children have been given a boost of nearly $ 130,000 thanks to the annual Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal .
The annual appeal , in its 10th year , raised a staggering $ 128,958.90 ; the most ever in the Bay of Plenty . The sum was $ 58,873 more than the 2015 total of $ 70,086 .
Accepting the cheque on behalf of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board ( BOPDHB ) Chief Operating Officer Pete Chandler says he was “ blown away ” by the amount raised and sincerely thanked everyone who had taken part .
“ This money will make a big difference . It effects people in a very real way and allows us to give even better care to the youngest members of our communities .”
Pete says the money allows the DHB to purchase the ‘ niceto-haves ’ over and above what could be afforded within the constraints of budget .
“ These tremendous fundraising efforts allow the DHB to purchase those extras , those items that can add either extra clinical capability or , just as importantly , items which make a child ’ s stay in hospital more pleasant .”
The appeal sees fundraising events and initiatives held over a three-month period , as well as food companies donating a percentage of their profits from products sold in local stores . This year ’ s efforts saw around 20 staff taking up the challenge of completing a half-marathon .
Countdown Group Manager Phil Guilford says he feels incredibly proud of everyone involved and that he got “ a real kick ” out of being able to hand over a cheque of this size .
Store Manager Countdown Whakatāne Tony Chegwidden says Countdown staff had set themselves big targets to celebrate the 10th year of the appeal . He says every single store manager across the Bay had really got in behind the appeal .
Examples of equipment purchased last year with Countdown funds are the Panda Resuscitaire ( used for resuscitating babies soon after birth - cost $ 25,000 ); the Bilisoft ( used for treating jaundiced babies – cost $ 15,000 ); and the i-Stat Handheld Blood Analyzer ( used for testing babies ’ blood glucose levels for example - cost $ 11,000 ).
The 2016 Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal ran from 1 August until 23 October 2016 . More than $ 1.1 million was raised in 2016 .
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