Palmerston North Hospital Foundation

10/09/2026

We were thrilled to hear from the Palmerston North Bridge Club this week, to discover Palmerston North 500 Group recently raised $1000 for our Foundation through a scratchie board raffle - kindly donated by Paterson Exterior Plastering Ltd. We're lucky to have so many local groups backing us and our vision!

They've got another fundraising event coming up later this month, so head along for a great time with a wonderful bunch of people! 😍

02/09/2026

Your generosity is making headlines!

We were honoured to have John Campbell and the RNZ Morning Report team share their excitement for the surgical robot fundraising achievement that our community made possible.

We're so grateful to everyone who has played a part in this. From community conversations to donations, every little bit helps make a difference.

You can listen to the interview online here: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2019050296/fundraising-delivers-surgical-robot-for-palmerston-north

For more information on the Foundation, visit our website: https://www.pnhospitalfoundation.co.nz/

01/09/2026

Last week was one heck of a week for Manawatū Turbos and Cyclone fans - especially some of their youngest fans. Players from both teams, along with some of our Foundation board members, popped in to visit families staying in the hospital's children's ward.

This included giving out some special, kid-sized kits of the special heritage Charity Jersey that's helping support the Foundation and our projects. An awesome way to celebrate 50 years of provincial Rugby and 140 years of Manawatū Rugby!

We're so proud of our partnership with Manawatū Rugby, and absolutely thrilled to have them in our corner. Legends, the lot of them 💪

30/08/2026

We’re celebrating today! Our community has raised the millions needed for a publicly-owned surgical robot at Palmerston North Regional Hospital - in just six months!
This incredible milestone wouldn't have been possible without the generosity of our community - from major donors and grant funders through to businesses and individuals who all chipped in. Thank you for helping us get here, and for believing in something this big.

With the $2.5 million + GST funding now secured, MidCentral Health New Zealand can begin the formal process of purchasing the robot. This is a significant step closer to having it here with us.

Thank you for being part of something this special. We’ll keep you updated as the procurement gets underway, and we can’t wait to see the impact this has for countless families.

Sign up to receive our email newsletter to get the latest updates: pnhospitalfoundation.co.nz

25/08/2026

Thanks for the support Manawatū Rugby 🫶

History, heritage 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒓𝒖𝒈𝒃𝒚 🏉

The Cyclones season starts here. The Turbos are back at home.

And both teams will take the field in matching heritage charity jerseys as part of a special doubleheader supporting the Palmerston North Hospital Foundation.

A huge afternoon and evening of rugby awaits at The Arena. Bring the whanau, support both teams and be part of something special 💚🤍

Manawatū Rugby Provincial Rugby NZ

09/08/2026

Rotary has always been about showing up for the community, and the $70,000 contribution towards our surgical robot project from the Palmerston North and Awapuni Rotary Clubs is exactly that.

Robot-assisted surgery means smaller incisions, faster recovery, fewer complications - and so much more than that. It means people get back to their whānau, their work, and their daily lives sooner. Less time in hospital means less financial pressure, less stress, and less impact on mental health and wellbeing.

That ripple effect is enormous, and we want to say a huge thank you to the Rotary Clubs for their generous support 🎉

👉 https://www.pnhospitalfoundation.co.nz/surgicalrobot

04/08/2026

We’re incredibly grateful to the Palmerston North Hospital Regional Cancer Treatment Trust for their generous $500,000 donation toward a surgical robot for our community!

580,000 people across the central and lower North Island rely on Palmerston North Regional Hospital's cancer services, from Taranaki to Hawke's Bay. That's a lot of people who deserve world-class care, close to home - and, thanks to the Trust, we're closer than ever to making that a reality. 💙

Learn more about our surgical robot project here: https://www.pnhospitalfoundation.co.nz/surgicalrobot

20/07/2026

Vivienne and Gerard Gillespie (co-founder of EziBuy) are well known for their passionate support of this region.

Over the years, they’ve contributed to the hospital in different ways, including towards the construction of the new Children’s Emergency Department. We’re thrilled to say that when they learned about the Foundation’s surgical robot project, they quietly made a major gift towards it.

“It’s simple, really,” says Gerard. “Something like this means we’re looking after this community, and that looks after the region’s future.”

Thank you, Vivienne and Gerard – we know this will make an impact for years to come.

15/07/2026

It’s been a busy year, and in many ways it feels like we’re just coming up for air! We’ve been blown away by the support of our communities from all corners of the region and want to thank them for their support so far.

This includes people like Paul Frecklington, a fifth-generation Manawatū farmer. At 87 years young, he and his wife Christine have made their most significant gift to the community - $500,000 towards our surgical robot.

Prompted by Paul's experiences with bowel and knee surgery, they knows how important this project is, and believes that rural communities shouldn't have to go without access to life-saving tools. Paul has also seen the benefits of robotic systems in the agriculture industry, both at home and abroad, and understands how useful this will be to our surgical teams at Palmerston North Regional Hospital.

“When I heard about it, my ears pricked up,” says Paul. “It was a good opportunity to do something to help. From what I’ve heard about the other supporters, we’re in good company.”

We’re so grateful to Paul, Christine, their family, and the staff at Frecklington Farms for their generosity, and we know countless families will be too.

13/07/2026

When Tim was diagnosed with prostate cancer, he learned robotic surgery was the "gold standard" in care, but it wasn't available locally.

Tim was fortunate to have medical insurance and the means to travel outside the region for treatment. But for many in our community, that's just not a reality.

"When you're dealing with cancer, the last thing you need is additional stress, travel, and uncertainty," says Tim. "Having this kind of treatment in the region would be terrific."

Thanks to the generosity of our community, we're bringing this life-changing technology to Palmerston North Regional Hospital, so people like Tim won't have to choose between the best care and staying close to home.

Learn more about the project here: pnhospitalfoundation.co.nz/surgicalrobot