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
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’
(L-R) Judy Maynard, Michelle Flatz, Brenda Valentine, Briar Wakelin, Dave Hale, Andrew Davidson. After 16 years the well-known local Mercy Hospice shop located at 300 Ponsonby Road has moved to its new abode, and luckily, it’s just a short stroll down the road to 346 Ponsonby Road. Last year, the shop was informed
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,
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.
One of our fabulous new volunteers, Karin Won, who has recently moved to Auckland from Wellington. We are thrilled to have her join our wonderful team of Retail Volunteers! There’s no doubt about it, it has been a rough time for our volunteers recently. With many of our valued and committed volunteers
