“In 2021, my wife Sao (Trinh Thi Sao), was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and undertook extensive chemotherapy treatment followed by radiation therapy through Auckland hospital. As a result, the cancer was halted, giving us a little more time with Sao, but eventually it progressed and her life became more and more difficult. At this
On February 27, 2024 Robin Lesley-Clark thought he was going to Mercy Hospice to die. Instead, he credits Mercy Hospice for the wrap-around care and support he needed to fight for his life. Having just finished a six-week stay after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour behind his eye, Robin praised the volunteers
Over the years I had experience with Hospice, both Mercy and North Shore, having had family and friends as patients, and had always been inspired by their dedication and the compassion and kindness during very difficult times. My dear friend of over 40 years, Debbie Stevens, one of the wonderful Volunteer Coordinators, had also
I’ve been an active volunteer in various roles over the years, but this ticks all the boxes. Firstly, Debbie Stevens (Volunteer Co-ordinator) is at the helm, steering with aptitude, availability, and authenticity. Then, Raissa Bogomoltz (Manaaki Group Facilitator) orchestrates with empathy and enthusiasm. We gather each Tuesday morning in an assigned room in the
My name’s Toni and I’ve been a volunteer for Mercy Hospice at one of the retail shops for 15 years. I started off by feeling that I was just part of the furniture. Working the till and tidying clothes racks. Over time, I’ve become a friend to so many customers and I sometimes feel
At sunset on 1 December, this year’s Lights to Remember once again burst into life in the grounds of Mercy Hospice, giving hundreds of people the opportunity to dedicate a light and leave messages to their loved ones. And what a difference with last year’s launch when all that was possible was a video
Luca Bree has lived beside Grey Lynn Park for almost forty years and has seen many changes in that time. As an enthusiastic op shopper and single parent on a tight budget he was very pleased when the Ponsonby Hospice Shop opened, quickly becoming a regular customer. Recycling clothing, books and homeware fitted his ‘green’
National Volunteering Week 19 – 25 June 2022 Thank you, thank you, thank you to our amazing team of volunteers whose tireless work makes such a difference to the patients and families served by the teams at Mercy Hospice. From our retail volunteers through to our in-patient volunteers, drivers, companions, gardeners, caterers, beauty volunteers,
Much like Catherine McAuley and the original Sisters of Mercy, the Community Palliative Care (CPC) nurses at Mercy Hospice go out into the community every day to deliver much-needed clinical care and support to patients and their families. With 20-30 referrals received each week, these nurses never know what their days will look
During the first lockdown, the inpatient unit (IPU) at Mercy Hospice was home to a 40-year-old Cook Island Māori, Tahitian man called Wilfred, but to everyone he met, he was ‘Wongs’. With his family based in Tahiti and Rarotonga, Wongs spent his early years in New Zealand, either in care or on the streets.
