Miles of Memories – A Future of Care

By Abby on March 4, 2026
Beetling along in a 1926 True Blue Oakland open tourer started a love affair with vintage cars for Esmee and Ian Rowden of Palmerston North. It began in 1999, when Esmee had just retired as manager of the New Zealand Women’s Hockey team (now the Blacksticks) and civil engineer Ian had finished his term as […]

Wrapped in Love: How Hospice Supported Trev and Mai

By Abby on December 17, 2025
It’s hard to ask for help. Mai Williams of Himatangi Beach knows that better than most. She has always been strong and independent, but when she reached out to Arohanui Hospice for support, support for both her and her beloved Trev, the response was fast, caring, and exactly what they needed. It all started with […]

They do it for you when you can’t

By Abby on October 2, 2025
Don Tamihana was losing weight. Quickly, and for no reason. No dieting, no lifestyle changes — his wife Christine got him to the doctor. “Twenty kilos. I ended up in hospital. They did all the scans and mri and tests… found cancer in my left kidney.” That left kidney was removed last September, with the […]

Love of the land helps Arohanui Hospice

By Abby on June 23, 2025
Samantha McGougan wanted to cry when Arohanui Hospice bought 20 of her hand-reared two-year-old Hereford-cross steers. Tears were understandable. The Hospice had provided support and care for her father, Brent Ellery, when he died at home from prostate cancer in June 2014. The Hospice had also helped the family with her maternal grandfather’s struggles with […]

Wrap-around care from Arohanui Hospice

By Abby on June 23, 2025
“All the better for seeing you.” That’s how Michelle MacGregor would answer, when anyone asked how she was. And that’s a testament to her spirit and courage and love — that she could think of others that way, while she was fighting a losing battle with cervical cancer. Michelle’s aunty, Maria McRae, knew her niece […]

A life well engineered

By Abby on April 3, 2025
When printing and packaging engineer John Bradley couldn’t start his lawn mower, he just thought he needed to get a bit fitter. There’d been a lot of family and business stress; his wife wasn’t well, and sometimes you just had a bad day. He pulled the mower cord again, and his arms and chest suddenly […]

We were given so much, so you give back

By Gemma Vallender on December 16, 2024
Three years sounds a long time, but when it’s all the time you have left with your mother, every day is precious. Jeanette Tootell was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2021, and her family gathered. Son Brendan said his sister came from Nelson, his brother from the United Kingdom, and they spent time with Jeanette […]

Rent donation helps Arohanui Hospice

By Gemma Vallender on December 11, 2024
Hosting friends while their new house was being built turned into an Arohanui Hospice fundraising opportunity for Val van der Donk of Otaki beach. Val’s friends needed a place to live for a couple of months, so Val offered her sleepout as a rental. But the building project underwent typical building project delays, and the […]

The Royal Sugar Cupcakes: Matilda and Harper’s Sweet Journey of Giving Back

By Gemma Vallender on November 28, 2024
Year 4 students Matilda Waite and Harper Bradnock from College Street Normal School have proven that with determination, creativity, and a sprinkle of sugar, even the smallest hands can make the biggest difference. Through their cupcake venture, The Royal Sugar Cupcakes, these young entrepreneurs raised an incredible $1188.40 for Arohanui Hospice, spreading joy one sweet […]

Hospice a soft place to fall

By Abby on October 23, 2024
Arohanui Hospice is a soft place to fall, for families dealing with cancer. And given the events of the last decade, the Kingi family has needed that softness. Hawea Kingi and his family had never heard of pheochromocytoma cancer in 2012. When the scary-sounding name was given to them, to explain why Hawea was suffering […]

Hendrika Hoogendyk’s Art Collection to Support Arohanui Hospice: An Exhibition of Generosity and Legacy

By Abby on October 21, 2024
Palmerston North, 21 October 2024— Arohanui Hospice is honoured to announce the exhibition of an art collection bequeathed by the late Hendrika Hoogendyk, a woman whose passion for the arts and commitment to her community will continue to impact lives through this generous act. The exhibition will showcase a curated selection of Hendrika’s personal art […]

The big, deep safety net of Arohanui Hospice

By Abby on July 22, 2024
It started with a trip. Paul and Mel were away on holiday, a trip to the South Island, and Paul banged his head. And then the headaches started. They came home to Manawatu, and Mel got Paul to a doctor. Her normally dry-witted, busy, funny husband was disengaged, and just wanted to stay in bed. […]

Long hair, big hearts

By Abby on July 22, 2024
Two girls in Hunterville learned about community care when they cut their hair for cancer and Arohanui Hospice, in February. Kaitlin Ramsay, 10, and Nellie Harvey, 9, decided about two years ago to grow their hair long enough so when it was cut, it could be made into wigs for cancer sufferers who had lost […]

“I couldn’t have done it without the Hospice”

By Abby on March 31, 2024
When Bruce McKelvie fell unexpectedly on his grandson’s second birthday, life changed. Catastrophically, and irreparably. “There was a big loud crash and there was Bruce with blood all over his face, his glasses had smashed,” said his wife, Jennie. They noticed a week later that the muscles in his forearms were writhing under the skin, […]

A lifetime dedicated to fundraising

By Megan Smith on March 14, 2022
Humble, generous, dedicated, passionate a true legend. This is Roger Clausen. A man that has been a dedicated advocate for Arohanui Hospice, for over 28 years. This dedication has not only included fundraising a large amount of money, $260,000.00 to be exact, he has also been engaging the community and educating individuals all over the […]

Meet our volunteers: Jeff, our handyman

By Megan Smith on March 14, 2022
Meet Jeff Miller, long-time volunteer here at Arohanui Hospice. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jeff to find out a bit about him. Generally the first question I ask is, ‘why did you become a volunteer?’ Jeff smirked and told me it’s a long story. It’s not. After a couple of major health […]

A little means a lot

A little means a lot

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