News and Stories

Staff at the department received a grant from Health Fund PLUS to help brighten the waiting room and make visiting tamariki feel more welcome and comfortable. The grant helped purchase a caterpillar activity board and and an interactive bubble tube (sensory equipment that send bubbles through a tube of water with lights).

The before and after photos show a big difference, but it’s the reaction from visitors that shows the true impact of the new waiting room. One staff member said, “a mum was wheeling her daughter out of the elevator towards ENT. I saw them stop as the daughter looked at the Audiology waiting area saying wow and pointing. Mum performed a u-turn with the wheelchair so her daughter could see and play with the caterpillar. At this stage the fish bubble tube was turned off. I went into the reception and turned on the bubble tube from there to a loud exclamation from mum and daughter of “Wow!”, “That is so cool”. You could hear the smiles on their faces”.

Parents who have previously been in the waiting area when there were no toys have commented that the new wall-mounted caterpillar activity board is a great addition and helps to keep their kids happily occupied while they are waiting. Staff also shared, “it has even been a struggle to drag kids away from the caterpillar at times to come in for their appointment!” Staff thanked generous donors whose donations to Health Fund PLUS made this grant possible, saying “we are so grateful for your support in creating a welcoming space - thank you from the whole audiology team”.

If you’d like to donate to support initiatives like this one, you’ll receive a 33% tax credit on your gift. You can also include a gift to Health Fund PLUS in your Will — even a small bequest, five or ten percent of your estate, compounds into something extraordinary over time. And every gift, no matter the size, genuinely matters.

‍