Real estate company heralds in Christmas joy for Starship

15 December 2014

Real estate company heralds in Christmas joy for Starship Children’s Hospital

The Starship Foundation has written its Christmas list and Barfoot & Thompson has checked off three items this December following a year’s worth of fundraising efforts culminating in a $160,000 donation to the national children’s hospital.

Vital pieces of breathing and resuscitation equipment have been gifted to the hospital to see doctors and specialists better resourced to help some of New Zealand’s smallest and most vulnerable patients.

A Video Laryngoscope and Ventilator were gifted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, while the Children’s Emergency Department gratefully received a Resuscitation Video System.

With regular resuscitations taking place at Starship, the newly acquired Video System, which functions much like a black box on a plane, enables the team to apply findings to better care for their patients.

The Video Laryngoscope provides a clear picture of the throat when breathing tubes need to be inserted, helping to make the procedure less traumatic and far more efficient for the young patients.

Starship Children’s Hospital is undergoing major ongoing upgrades to its facilities, and Starship Foundation Chief Executive Brad Clark says it’s largely due to the tireless support of their major sponsors that they are able to maintain Starship as a world-class medical facility.

"The team at Barfoot & Thompson continues to exceed their fundraising goals for Starship, and we can’t emphasise enough how grateful we are for their support,” says Clark.

“Setting themselves an impressive goal to raise $150,000 in 2014, to come in at $160,000 is testament to their hard work and dedication. We know how important the work we do is to their staff, many of whom have had family members stay at Starship, and we don’t take our responsibility to them lightly.”

“Being able to equip our team with the very best in breathing and resuscitation technology is crucial as we continue to extend our own goals in patient care, diagnostics and training.”

Since becoming a sponsor in 2003, Barfoot and Thompson has raised an incredible $2.5 million for the Starship Foundation with the agents and their communities continuing to get creative with everything from cheese-making nights, rock shows, quizzes, a home and garden tour and ‘A Taste of Lebanon’ held as fundraising events.

“Every year presents another great opportunity to support Starship,” says Peter Thompson, Barfoot and Thompson Managing Director.

“Our staff is deeply committed to support the Starship Foundation and continually go above and beyond the goals we set for them. We are delighted to be able to gift Starship with the much-needed new equipment this Christmas and look forward to setting an even greater fundraising target in the New Year!”

About the Starship Foundation
Starship Children's Health provides world-class healthcare for more than 120,000 patient visits each year from all over New Zealand.

The Starship Foundation is a for-social-profit organisation that is committed to raising more than $6 million annually to ensure every New Zealand family has access to world leading healthcare and experiences. Support for the Starship Foundation is an extra to Government funding and provides for initiatives such as building refurbishments, new medical technology, vital research, boosted family support, preventative programmes and staff training.

In addition, $1.5 million is needed annually to help fund the Starship National Air Ambulance Service which brings critically ill or injured children from all over the country to Starship for life-saving care.

As a charitable organisation, Starship Foundation exists through the generosity of the New Zealand public and leading organisations that lovingly donate money and/or time to assist Starship to remain at the forefront of paediatric care.

New Zealanders can support Starship kids and families by donating to the Starship Foundation online at www.starship.org.nz/foundation or by calling 09 307 4957.

Barfoot & Thompson knows Auckland best. It is the city’s leading real estate company, selling around one in three Auckland residential homes, significantly ahead of all other competitor brands.

ENDS

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