Campaign aims to raise money for hospital rooftop helipad

A crowd-funding campaign is aiming to raise $500,000 towards a rooftop helipad and clinical support unit at Christchurch Hospital.

The campaign has been launched by the Māia Health Foundation and the Rātā Foundation is promising to match dollar for dollar what the community gives, meaning $1 million could be raised in six weeks.

Students at Paparoa Street School form the number 13 to show their support for the 13 Minutes crowd-funding campaign.

Christchurch Hospital is New Zealand’s busiest trauma centre and the only major hospital without a helipad on site.

The use of helicopters for emergencies and patient transfers has increased approximately 40 per cent over the last three years. Christchurch and the South Island need a helipad that will cope with current and future demand for this service.

Currently, it takes 13 minutes on average to transfer by ambulance to Christchurch Hospital, after landing in Hagley Park.

A larger helipad and purpose built rooftop clinical support unit will mean critically unwell patients receive emergency hospital care immediately on touchdown, and a quicker transition to full care for routine transfers. For the neonatal unit, it will quicken the pick-up and unloading of a neonatal incubator by up to an hour on a round trip.

“Māia Health Foundation want to help get hospital care to patients 13 minutes quicker – if we reach our $500,000 target and Rātā Foundation match it, we’ll be $1 million closer to providing the enhanced services Christchurch Hospital needs,’’ says Māia Health Foundation Chief Executive Michael Flatman.

The crowd funding campaign, appropriately named 13 Minutes, features real people and clinicians who know first-hand the difference receiving emergency care immediately on touchdown would mean.

The 13 Minute campaign was kicked off last Friday at Paparoa Street School, where campaign hero William Coughlan, 500 of his fellow classmates and Māia Health Foundation Ambassador, Jason Gunn created a giant number 13 to raise awareness for the campaign.

Over the course of six weeks Māia Health Foundation is encouraging schools, service groups, businesses and families to support the campaign and give what they can to this much needed asset for Christchurch.

Donations can be made before Saturday 14 April at www.13minutes.co.nz