Charity Touched by Surgeon’s Generosity

Charity Touched by Surgeon’s Generosity

When Auckland's Dr Percy Pease received US$10,000 from the international arm of Variety – The Children’s Charity in 2008 as part of the Sir James Carreras award, it was due reward for the thousands of hours he has donated to the New Zealand chapter of the charity.

Given Percy’s lifelong commitment to improving the lives of children, it came as no surprise that Percy used the money to purchase a seven-seater van which he donated to Variety’s outreach programme, Variety Children’s Medical Mission’s South Pacific, to be used in Tonga by the Red Cross to help transport disabled children.

The New Zealand arm of Variety looks after sick, disabled and disadvantaged Kiwi kids and has distributed over $11.7 million in grants to Kiwi kids since its inception in 1989 and the CEO, Lorraine Taylor spoke of Dr Pease’s commitment to both Variety New Zealand and the Medical Missions.

“We are truly touched by Percy’s generosity - he is a long-standing member and Chair of Variety New Zealand’s grants committee and a Variety Director, and a founding board member of Variety Children’s Medical Missions and has given freely of his time and expertise.

While Dr Pease has been undertaking regular unpaid medical missions to Samoa since 1979 and to Tonga since 1981, the founding of the Variety Children’s Medical Missions South Pacific five years ago has allowed Percy and the team to assist even more children in need.

Partnering with Los Angeles’ BEEVE Foundation, the Medical Missions South Pacific has performed over 170 eye operations each year, removing cateracts and corneas and helping Pacific Island children regain their sight.

In his work with the Medical Missions, Percy was instrumental in identifying four children who required life-saving heart surgery – Medical Missions covered the cost of the airfares and treatment in New Zealand and all four children have recovered well from their surgery.

During his 46 years as a medical practitioner, Percy has been a tireless advocate for children and was instrumental in the introduction of the first Variety Mobile Ear Clinic, playing a vital role in reducing the incidence of Glue Ear in New Zealand.

Dr Pease says, “Seeing a child smile up at you from their hospital bed after life-changing surgery makes it all worthwhile.

Percy was part of the design team for the Starship Children’s Hospital and recently retired from Starship after 27 years, serving first as a consultant paediatric surgeon and latterly as director. Similarly, he has recently retired from the Auckland Paediatric Centre, but remains involved at Starship Children’s Health currently analysing the last 30 years of children’s surgery.

“There have been lots of laughs and lots of tears. I’ve enjoyed every minute,” says Dr Pease.

ENDS