A healing cook drops in to talk
Peta Mathias has a missionary complex.
‘‘I just can’t stand knowing people are sad,’’ the food writer and TV presenter said.
On Friday Mathias was visiting New Plymouth to speak at a fundraiser lunch raising money for the Te Puna Waiora mental health ward at Taranaki Base Hospital.
But not many would know Mathias’ own ties to the health sector. The 68-year-old Auckland woman left school when she was 17 to train as a nurse at the big city’s hospital.
‘‘I shouldn’t have ever been a nurse,’’ Mathias admits. ‘‘I would get in trouble for talking to people about their problems instead of just cleaning the bed pans.’’
After her first year, Mathias realised the career wasn’t right for her but friends told to keep going.
At the end of her second year, Mathias still wanted to get out of nursing but friends encouraged her to complete training.
‘‘And that’s how I became a nurse.
‘‘But I always thought, ‘there’s got to be more than this’.’’
After five years of nursing, Mathias emigrated to Canada where she worked as a drug and alcohol counsellor for six years.
‘‘Mental health has always been my thing I guess,’’ she said.
‘‘But I got burnt out and my missionary complex kicked in and I thought, ‘I know, I’ll cook for them.
‘‘Food is healing; food is love.’’ Her talk at Friday’s Ladies Long Lunch at the Nice Hotel was put on by the Taranaki Health Foundation to raise funds for the ‘The Open Minds Project’, which aims to raise an additional $180,000 to finalise the initial $2.4 million investment from the TDHB for the hospital’s mental health ward.
The ward is set up to assist people during times of acute psychiatric need and when they may harm themselves or others.
The upgrade of Te Puna Waiora has already been transformed from a stale clinical state to a relaxing environment complete with splashes of warm tones and a sensory room, which includes soothing sounds and calming images.
But the additional budget would afford enhancements such as a fitness zone, artwork, and technology for the unit.