Lines in the water for Planet Sunshine

SWEET DREAMS: Planet Sunshine children's ward chairs bought with money raised by last year's Nick's Head Charity Fishing Competition are tried out for size by Planet Sunshine clinical nurse manager Deb McKay and competition organiser Andrea Gregory. The chairs, which cost $2500 each, fold out to a single bed with a foam mattress so whanau can get a proper sleep next to their child at the hospital. The chairs have only just arrived because of shipping hold-ups due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This year's fundraising competition starts tomorrow night with a briefing at Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club. Picture by Paul Rickard

The Nick's Head Charity Fishing Competition being held this weekend will raise more money to help Tairawhiti children who have cancer or diabetes.

Organiser Andrea Gregory spoke to Planet Sunshine clinical nurse manager Deb McKay to ask her what the children's ward at Gisborne Hospital needed this year.

As a result, money raised from the competition will go towards a quiet garden space off the oncology ward, and a portable Hba1C machine for young diabetic patients in this region.

Mrs McKay said young cancer patients could not mix with other children in the ward so the garden would be for them only.

She described it as a restful space and importantly a place where parents could go as well.

Having these extras because of the fishing competition “is amazing for us”, said Mrs McKay.

Mrs Gregory said they had no overhead expenses, so every dollar raised directly helped a Tairawhiti child diagnosed with cancer, or other long-term condition, and their families.

Organisers were blown away by the support from businesses, with new ones coming on board.

The number of event volunteers had increased to “more people than we have ever had”.

“We're really lucky in Gisborne,” said Mrs McKay. “There's huge community spirit here.”

Barry Walsh has offered children who have finished their cancer treatment the chance to hop on his boat for the competition.

Four of them have taken up the offer.

The competition has been going for 16 years.

It starts tomorrow night with a briefing at Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club, followed by fishing on Friday and Saturday.

An auction of donated prizes will be held Saturday night.

From 2pm on Sunday, there will be a live fish auction where the fish caught during the competition is sold to the highest bidder.

The fish are sold whole but for a gold coin donation can be filleted on site.

Proceeds from last year's competition went towards buying two new chairs ($2500 each) for Planet Sunshine.

The chairs fold out to comfortable single beds for whanau who sleep over with their children in hospital.

Mrs McKay said once a family member had slept on one of these, they would never go back to a La-Z-Boy chair again.

Other money raised last year was used to buy $2500 worth of Pak'nSave vouchers presented to the nursing team to distribute to families on a need-by need basis. Another $10,000 was donated to the Child Cancer Foundation.

All funds raised this year will go directly to the Planet Sunshine ward to make sure every cent benefits Tairawhiti children.

The diabetic machine was specifically asked for by Planet Sunshine. It costs $1725 but Mrs McKay said the difference it would make to the 18 diabetic children in Tairawhiti would be priceless.

The portable machine checks blood sugar levels with a quick finger prick. It means the paediatric team can go to the patient's home for the test.

Hauora Tairawhiti consultant paediatrician Stanley Ng said the quick finger prick test was a more “palatable option” for some of their younger patients, rather than the laboratory blood test done now.

The machine will be used to check the diabetes patients once every three months.

“This portable machine gives us flexibility to do more outreach appointments to meet the children and families at home, at school or wherever they feel comfortable so their diabetes care can be less onerous, and gives us an opportunity to help manage their diabetes in the environments where they feel most comfortable.”