Hospice Tairāwhiti

Region: Te Tairāwhiti Gisborne
Email: hospice@hospicetairawhiti.org.nz
Website: www.hospicetairawhiti.org.nz

Hospice Tairāwhiti provides community-based hospice care for the people of Tairāwhiti, from Morere to Potaka. Hospice or palliative care is specialised care for people with life limiting illnesses.  Our focus is on improving quality of life for the patient and providing support for the whānau.  We do this by providing practical advice, physical, emotional and spiritual support, with an emphasis on pain relief and symptom management.  The service includes whānau support and grief and bereavement care.

Why are you involved in Dying Matters Week?

Hospice Tairāwhiti felt it was an important kaupapa to bring to our community. To create awareness around the support available to those navigating the end of life and journey and grieving loved ones. To create safe spaces for people to connect and start conversations, learn from local experts and seek practical and emotional support.

Tell us about your 2025 Programme

Hospice Tairāwhiti coordinated a number of guest speakers, workshops and drop-in support groups as well as a poetry night, film screening and Qi Gong session. We were pleased to be able to bring the conversation into the city centre in a variety of ways so that our community could access the support and learnings they needed. It was uplifting to have so many people get behind the Kaupapa. Venues opened their doors, artists shared their skills, experts gathered and shared their knowledge and opened the conversations for questions and sharing. People started thinking outside of the box. This was the first time that Dying Matters Week was held in Gisborne and the offerings were many. We expect to gather more for next year as the conversation continues in other ways over the next 12 months. Find out more…

Business that also got involved were:

• Annie Meredith – Three Seeds End Of Life Doula – Funeral Celebrant – Manaaki Mats Educator – Grief Facilitator – Annie Meredith, EOL Doula and Celebrant
• Sharlene Douglas-Huriwai & the team at HB Williams Memorial Library Gisborne – for hosting and organising a number of events in such a fantastic space, and for the generous spread of tea & biscuits.
• Nicole West – Grief facilitator Growing Through Grief
• Lianne Jenkins – Grief Counsellor @living.with.balance
• The wonderful team at Gizzy Local 64 Lowe Street – Gizzy Local – for the cozy venue and the wonderful promotion and their Poetry Night ‘Salt Lamp Tales’ .
• The fantastic impact house that is Tāiki E! – Tāiki e – for the welcoming space and endless coffee.
• Vicki Hiha – Raranga Tutor @vicki.hiha mvhiha@gmail.com
• Gillian Moon – EIT Writing Tutor – Gillian Moon
• Lisa Murphy – Qi Gong Tutor @QiGongWithLisa
• Christian Rangi – Funeral Guide from Pōhutukawa Funeral Guides Gisborne
• Jen Clarke – Hospice Tairāwhiti Family support co-ordinator
• Jane Kibble – Hospice Tairāwhiti volunteer co-ordinator
• Lizzy Ngatai-Hawtin – Hospice Tairāwhiti Māori Liaison – Administrator – Raranga Tutor
• Justine Conway & Anne-Marie De Bruin for this wonderful article published in the Gisborne Herald The Gisborne Herald