The present ward lacks single rooms and the new facility will increase the number of beds to 30, including 16 single rooms.
The MDS disorder had long affected Mr Richards' immune system and he suffered from numerous infections and bouts of pneumonia. But then it all came to a head.
"Two years ago my head began to pound when running and climbing stairs or hills, nearly passing out on standing, I began to spontaneously bruise and bleed and my immune system was crashing."
One trip to the doctor and Mr Richards was rushed to Waikato Hospital.
"I was in a whole lot of trouble, looked like a ghostly shadow and death warmed up."
It was then that doctors told him he only had two months to live.
Luckily his brother, Carlton, was compatible for the six antigens and agreed to be Mr Richards' donor and saviour.
"I just sneaked into the bone marrow unit with not that much time to live and had sorted out my will."
Now he uses his experience to coach and support other people who are going through the same process.
"We couldn't find anyone to talk to about it when we went through it other than a few nurses up there, so we were really in the dark. Not hearing it from doctors or nurses but hearing it from the patients themselves and how they went about things is really important.
"We were up there in the same boat and all being told you have either one, two of three months to live and you sit and talk about how it is you are going to get through it so your mind gets pretty strong through those times."
Mr Richards said he was deeply indebted to medical experts and staff at Tauranga, Waikato and especially Auckland hospitals for saving his life and wants to help raise awareness for new facilities needed in the sector.