Nurse Sue Smart had a long list of toys that needed to be bought for children at Nelson Hospital, and thanks to a donation from two local businesses she’s been able to throw the list away.
Sue, the charge nurse manager of the paediatric ward at Nelson Hospital, says it’s important to have toys for the children to play with while in the hospital. It helps takes their mind off things, gives siblings something to do and can lift the spirits of those there for treatment.
But the current toys were getting “tatty” and Sue says they could only buy new toys when they had raised enough money, as toys aren’t covered in the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board funding.
One of the ways the nurses would raise money is by selling raffle tickets at the hospital. The money would be saved up and used to buy whatever needed replacing.
It was while two nurses were doing this in their lunch break last month that Nelson Weekly publisher Steve Page came across them. He was there for a knee replacement and says he wanted to help.
“I asked what they were raising money for and thought that’s pretty neat, because I wouldn’t give up my lunch hour. I thought if that’s what they’re doing then maybe we should do something too.”
So Steve’s two newspapers – Nelson Weekly and Waimea Weekly – donated a $1000 Toyzone voucher to the children’s ward of the hospital and he then called his “partner in crime” Belinda de Clercq from Richmond Mall to jump on board as well.
Belinda agreed to add another $1000 of Richmond Mall vouchers “in a heartbeat”, giving Sue enough to make a serious dent in her wish list of toys. “I had a list and I’ve ticked off most of it. I was very happy, I was overwhelmed,” she says.
Jane Kinsey is the service manager for women, children and youth at the hospital and says toys are often at the bottom of the pile when it comes to funding, but they’re an important part of the children’s ward. “It’s essential to have these toys. If you liken it to an adult, could you cope without your phone, a book or a newspaper? You’d be bored within minutes.”
Sue says the ward does get toys donated by members of the public but they are often of poor quality, not suitable for the ward [like soft toys] or not complete. “That’s why this donation is great because they’re vouchers, so I can go and buy what we need. We’ve been able to replenish our stocks, it’s been great.”
