Skyline Restaurant And Police College Help Te Omanga Hospice Patients And Families Enjoy Christmas

New Zealand Police Wellington News Release 11:50am 18 December 2006

This year Christmas has taken on a new sense of importance for Te Omanga Hospice patients.

For some it will be their last Christmas with family and friends and for others it will be the first time their diagnosis has really hit home.

On Tuesday 19 December, the owners of the iconic Skyline Restaurant at the top of the Cable Car in Wellington are providing Christmas lunch for patients and families.

For several years now the Skyline has sponsored patients and their families to a full Christmas spread and restaurant staff always pull out all the stops to make the occasion a real treat, says Te Omanga Hospice's chief executive Mrs Biddy Harford.

Te Omanga Hospice is also being assisted this year by staff from The Royal New Zealand Police College in Porirua who are playing "dial a driver" to get patients to and from the event.

The Police College became involved on the suggestion of the Skyline, which regularly sees large numbers of police recruits pulling up in police cars in its car park. The Skyline car park is a rest point in their driver training circuit. The suggestion was welcomed by police staff as some have personal connections with Te Omanga.

"We're very grateful to the organisations that help us put on this event each year. Through a combined effort, the event will create some special time for Te Omanga patients and families in the approach to Christmas," says Mrs Harford.

About Te Omanga Hospice:

Te Omanga Hospice has been offering free care and support to those living with a terminal illness in Lower Hutt since September 1979 and in the Wairarapa since December 1998.

Te Omanga Hospice is:• A registered Charitable Trust.• Governed by a Board of Trustees.• Managed by a Chief Executive and Management Team.

Te Omanga Hospice provides:

• Skilled nursing and medical care for those suffering from terminal cancer and some other terminal illnesses where appropriate.

• 24 hour-a-day specialist palliative care by staff familiar with the background and needs of the patient and family.

• Care at home or in the hospice according to the needs of the patient and family.

• An experienced, professional, multi-disciplinary team that aims to provide conditions that allow the patient, family/whanau to make the most of their remaining time together.

• Relief from pain and other distressing symptoms.

• Help for those patients, families/whanau experiencing emotional and spiritual distress.

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ENDS

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