Child Cancer Foundation

Press, 8 May 1978, Page 13

Child Cancer Foundation

A medical foundation, to be known as the Child Cancer Foundation, has been formed to help patients and their families and to establish a comprehensive children’s hospital in New Zealand.

Announcing the foundation, an Auckland businessman, Mr Robert Speight said founding members included Dr David Mauger, a pediatrician specialising ini child cancers, and Dr Stuart j Ferguson, a pediatric sur-| geon. Both doctors are attached to Princess Mary Children’s Hospital in Auckland. i

Mr Speight said that the immediate aim was to raise $60,000 to establish accommodation facilities in Auck!and for out-of-town patients and families.

“Every year, more children between the ages of 12 months and 14 die from cancer than any other disease. In New Zealand every year we can expect one child inevery 1000 to contract cancer in one form or other,” Mr Speight said. Few New Zealand hospitals had the facility for parents to stay with their childTen in or near the hospital.

j New Zealand was one of ■ the few Western countries I without a comprehensive children’s hospital, Mr Speight said.

It was the foundation’s aim to provide a new hospital where not only children with cancer could be treated but where there were special facilities for all sick children.