It takes a village

There’s something extra special about Canterbury Charity Hospital. It’s a feeling that’s not lost on the 300 or so volunteers who give their time and expertise, the whānau who send donations and leave bequests, the more than 2,500 people who receive medical care each year, the community members who help at fundraising events and all the visitors who have walked through its doors. 

“Once people are here, they can really feel what it’s all about,” says fundraising coordinator Rosie Graham. “Some people say they get goosebumps when they first arrive. It’s an amazing place.” Over her years at the hospital, Rosie’s lost count of all the thank you cards, kids’ drawings and heartfelt messages they’ve received, each one read with a smile and many making their way into the hospital newsletter.

“Everyone’s just so grateful, and the feedback we get is incredible. We had a handmade poster recently that said thank you for saving Mum’s teeth, which was very cute. There are so many things that just touch your heart.” With only 5 paid staff on the team, zero government funding and roughly $1 million in donations needed each year to keep it running, the hospital is a true labour of love.

The radical vision of philanthropists Sue and Phil Bagshaw, it started nearly 2 decades ago as a single building and has since tripled in size, all while steadily expanding its services to plug gaps of unmet need in the community. 

These days, the Bagshaws are still part of the hospital helm, alongside 3 other trustees including MAS Board member Frank Frizelle. Services on its ever-expanding list include dental and oral surgery, gynaecology and women’s health, colonoscopy, endoscopy, urology and orthopaedic services, dietary advice, dermatology for young people, ophthalmology and a range of general surgeries. 

All patients must be referred by a doctor, dentist or social service such as the City Mission, with the hospital providing a lifeline to many who have fallen through the cracks in mainstream healthcare. Add in a cost-of-living crisis, growing issues with health equity and a public health system stretched to the limit, and it’s clear that demand won’t be slowing down any time soon. 

“We’ve seen a rise in demand across the board, but a lot of it reflects what’s happening in the public health system,” says Rosie. “For example, we’re seeing more people for endoscopies since these patients can’t be seen in the public health system until they are 60. We’re bridging the gap by seeing people aged 50 with symptoms. This procedure is truly life-saving because, in some cases, we’re detecting cancer. Our focus is on meeting unmet need, and because we’re lean and flexible, we can quickly change our services to reflect that need.” 

Overnight stays are not possible at this stage, but what the hospital might lack in size, it makes up for in efficiency. The volunteer system and comparatively tiny operating costs mean about 83 cents of every dollar raised goes directly to patient care, so money goes back to the people who need it the most. And while healthcare is the core purpose, Rosie says it’s not just medical experts who are sharing the love. 

“Our volunteers include admin teams and support staff and all the people who help with our events. That is part of our connection with MAS, as Krissy Winter [MAS Regional Manager, Southern] and her team have helped me with set-up and pack-out for several events, and they provided lunch for the volunteers on our Skin Check Day. These ongoing relationships are wonderful and so important to us.” 

In an environment built on altruism, it’s the joy of making a difference and helping others that keeps volunteers coming back. Whether it’s a day a week, a day a month or something else to fit an already busy schedule, most volunteers are regulars, and the door is always open to anyone who wants to lend a hand. “After being here, I couldn’t imagine working back in a corporate office,” says Rosie. “Using your skills to help people, that’s just magic. It’s what it’s all about.” 

New teeth for Christmas 

Christchurch dentist and MAS Member Zohnia McNeill (Te Atihaunui a Pāpārangi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) has seen firsthand the transformational power of teeth. Over the years volunteering at Canterbury Charity Hospital, she’s cared for mouths that have suffered decades of neglect, removed countless rotten molars, eased chronic dental pain and fitted desperately needed dentures. The cases she sees are often complex and time consuming. But for many, a session in the dental chair can be life changing. 

“There was one guy in particular who stood out,” she says. “He needed a lot of dental work, and we saw him over quite a long period of time. He said to us, ‘In my old life, I used to hang out with people who didn’t have any teeth, so it didn’t bother me that I didn’t have any teeth. But now I have a new life, I’ve got new friends, I’ve joined the gym and I’m around different people. I don’t want to be the guy that looks like that any more, because I’m not that person any more.’ 

“We knew that his dental work was a massive part of his rehabilitation back into society. For these people it‘s not about vanity. We’re helping people to engage in life, helping them to feel confident enough to go for a job or even to feel more comfortable with really simple things like going to the supermarket. It’s allowing them to smile more and it’s easing a deep sense of whakamā and shame that was inhibiting them from interacting with the world. I think that’s such a gift to be able to give people.” 

While new teeth are the start of a different life for many, for others, just getting into the chair is half the battle. “Often people have had bad experiences with dentists and they’re very phobic,” she says. “We can’t change what happened in the past, but we aim to make new memories for people, and hopefully the newer ones will be front of mind. So we always have a bit of fun and a bit of a laugh.” 

For Zohnia, who hopes her own kids will one day carry on the family tradition of helping others, work has long been a juggle between volunteering at the charity hospital and seeing regular clients at a private clinic. Alongside colleague Barbara Shadbolt, the pair have now increased their volunteer days in the lead-up to Christmas, with a special goal in mind. 

“We get so many people asking for dentures or partial dentures, so our aim is to get into the hospital every week and work through the list. Our goal is to help a lot more people get teeth for Christmas. We know how special that will be for them, and it’s special for us too. Being able to make a difference in people’s lives is such a privilege.”  

For more on Canterbury Charity Hospital, see charityhospital.org.nz.