Grey Power September 2018

NZ GREYPOWER MAGAZINE » SEPTEMBER 2018 25
Leaving the world a little
better than you found it
An increasing number of Starship supporters are appreciating
the profound value and benefit of leaving a gift to the national
children’s hospital in their wills. For one couple there is a very
personal reason behind their decision to become Starship
Foundation Guardian Angels.
Tim and Karen Jones
want to give back in
memory of their son
Roderick who spent many
hours, days and months under
the expert care of Starship’s
clinical team.
Roderick was diagnosed
with cancer in October 2004.
He had Ewing’s Sarcoma,
a large tumour in his chest.
Under the care of Starship
the cancer was successfully
treated, but Roderick relapsed
a few years later. Sadly, he
passed away from the disease
in 2008, aged 14.
“During our time at Starship
we couldn’t have asked
for better care for Roderick. It
made a really dark time in our
life, bearable.
“We always felt welcomed
and that we were important
to them. I don’t think
we could have improved on
any of the care that we had,”
explains Tim.
“We had friends in the staff
and the doctors who were
there with us, who were really
doing what they could to help
every step of the way.
“Perhaps you too know
someone who has relied on
Starship at some stage? It’s
good to know that it’s always
there if needed. That’s why
Starship, and the Foundation,
are so important.”
Starship touches the lives of
families throughout New Zealand;
through hospital stays
or through one of the many
outreach clinics delivered by
Starship’s specialists in clinical
facilities in other parts of
the country.
“The support for Roderick
and us as a family during the
time we were in Starship was
immense. We wanted to return
something to the Starship
Hospital, through the Foundation,
to help other families and
kids that are sick. That’s really
the essence of our involvement
with the Foundation.”
Each year, the Starship
Foundation funds a wide range
of Starship projects; initiatives
that save and extend lives, lift
spirits and reduce discomfort,
ensure better outcomes, faster
recovery and less invasive
treatments, and are focused on
equity and prevention. All this
is possible thanks to the generosity
of New Zealanders such
as Tim and Karen.
The Starship Foundation’s
Guardian Angels truly make a
difference to our national children’s
hospital. An example is
the recent refurbishment of
Starship’s General Paediatrics
wards; an area of the hospital
which had not been upgraded
since Starship opened in 1991.
Modern hospital facilities,
designed with the needs of
children, families and staff in
mind, help children recover
quicker and make stays in
hospital easier for both young
patients and their parents.
Now, thanks in part to
bequests from two generous
Starship supporters who
had left gifts in their wills,
Starship’s bright new general
paediatric facility supports
how healthcare is best
delivered today.
“To put a bequest in your
will provides you with the sort
of comfort and feeling where
you’ve actually done something
to help. Whether you’ve
been lucky enough not to need
the care of Starship, or whether
you have relied on it at your
darkest ebb, like we have, paying
it forward is a wonderful
thing to do,” says Tim.
“My wife and I enjoy immensely
being part of the
Foundation’s wider family,
and I’m sure you will too.”
If you have not yet taken
this step yourself, you might
wonder what’s involved? And
how do you go about including
Starship Foundation in
your will?
It’s much easier than you
might think. We are also very
mindful that your loved ones
must come first.
Here’s our simple
three-step guide:
Step One: talk to your loved
ones. Discuss your plans with
your family and friends first.
Tell them why Starship is important
to you and why you
want to leave a gift to Starship
in your will. Let them know
that they will be taken care
of first and foremost. That
way there will be no surprises
when the time comes.
Step Two: talk to your solicitor.
Call and tell them you
want to leave a gift to Starship
in your will. They will ask you
what type of gift you want to
leave and talk you through the
options. If you already have a
will you can easily add a codicil
(an amendment). If you
don’t, they can prepare one
for you.
Step Three: talk to us. Letting
us know of your intentions
will help us to thank you
and share with you the impact
that your gift will have. And
you will automatically become
one of our valued Guardian
Angels - a very special group
of people who have pledged to
look after the health and wellbeing
of future generations
of children.
If you’re interested in leaving
a gift to Starship in your
Will or becoming a Guardian
Angel, for a confidential
discussion please contact our
Bequest Liaison Karen Blake:
Phone: 09 375 3466, Mobile:
027 376 4211, email: kblake@
adhb.govt.nz. We’d love to
hear from you.