Marathon Effort from Christchurch Midwives

Marathon Effort from Christchurch Midwives

It all started with a pre-shift coffee and a relaxed chat about how good it would be to complete a half marathon.

The relaxed chat seemed to grow legs and the next thing anyone in the birthing suite at Christchurch Women’s Hospital knew, 5 midwives from the birthing suite were training hard for this weekend’s marathon around Lake Hood outside Ashburton, to raise funds to help those they work with or have heard about, who have been affected by the earthquake.

Group spokeswoman, Diana Keepahunuhunu (Pro: Keep A Hoonoo Hoonoo), says the human face on the stories about people who have been so severely affected by the quake spurred them on.

“We work in a reasonably high stress environment and when you add the extra stress of a house that is uninhabitable and children crying every time we get an aftershock, we just had to help our colleagues and others we have heard about,” she says.

The support for the fundraising marathon from her work colleagues and the wider midwifery community has been such an incentive to keep going, says Diana.

“So many people have been pledging donations and providing motivation and that has been the real key to us following through on our casual coffee chat a few weeks ago,” she says. “Just in the Birthing Suite alone, our “midwife marathoners” have raised $1900.00.”

At the time of the earthquake and in the days following, Christchurch Women’s remained open and become the main centre for all woman and whanau to birth. This was after primary units Lincoln, Rangiora and Burwood closed because of damage.
“We are all health professionals,” says Diana, “and midwives, doctors, aids and clerks came to work, remaining strong and resilient despite many have experienced loss themselves.”

Diana says training for and completing the half marathon this weekend is an acknowledgement of the hard work put in by the staff during a stressful time. All the money raised will go to those people affected by the quake and the only criteria for being on the list of people who will benefit is that the person has to be nominated by someone else. The funds raised will be evenly distributed to everyone on the list.

“I only hope we have not missed somebody out, says Diana

“People on the list don’t even know they are on the list so she says it will be a nice surprise just before Christmas.”

“It has been an amazing journey and I have enjoyed every minute of it. I have personally achieved something great yet at the same time will be helping other people in the process. As a team preparing for this event it reflects how well we work together and support each other in our every day job. Some of us are already looking at doing another half marathon for next year. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have supported us, everything from training advice to positive affirmations,” Diana says.

ENDS

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