Southern collections boost neurosurgery fund

Southern support for the Chair of Neurosurgery in Dunedin is growing, with collections coming from throughout the south and fundraising efforts at the Waimumu Field Days this week.

Campaign manager Irene Mosley said a $1000 cheque from the Southland provincial branch of Rural Women NZ was presented to her last Friday at their meeting in Invercargill, combined with $1000 from Fiordland Rotary, $500 from the Lions Club of Gore Pakeke, and a generous donation from the Otago-based John Lemon Trust helped push the total raised to $1,380,939.

Southland Federated Farmers would also be at the Waimumu Field Days this week collecting donations, while individual donations continued to come in from Stewart Island to Queenstown, Mrs Mosley said.

Money would go into an endowment fund.

This would then provide enough interest income to cover the cost of the wage component of the research done by the Chair in Neurosurgery, with clinical costs covered by the Southern District Health Board, Mrs Mosley said.

The combination of research and clinical roles for the service would keep it sustainable and ensure the south had access to neurological services at all hours.

It would also be the only academic research and teaching centre in New Zealand, Mrs Mosley said.

Donations

to

the

Chair

of Neurosurgery campaign can be made at any branch of National Bank or ANZ in Otago and Southland. Any donation of more than $5 is eligible for a charitable tax rebate.

Donations can also be made online through the National Bank official appeal account under Neurosurgery Campaign, account number 06 0287 0133301-05.