Teddies galore for child surgery patients

More than 500 teddy bears will arrive at Christchurch Hospital this week to be given to young children who will are about to receive surgery.

Netball star Julie Seymour has donated her time to gift the teddies on Thursday 4 February to those children already awaiting surgery on the hospital’s wards.

Buggy company phil&teds are sponsoring the Surgical Research Trust to provide phil&teddies, complete with adoption certificates, to young children who will have surgery over the next two years. 

The teddy bears can be used to help explain to the children the procedure that they are about to undergo, and assist them with getting through the emotional stress of surgery.

“It could be the child’s first visit to hospital and can be a scary experience for some. Having a teddy will be a great source of comfort and reassurance,” said Anne Morgan, Child Health Service Manager.

“Child Health really appreciates the kind donation from phil&teds to assist children in this way.”

Norm Hewitt and Irene Van Dyk are among the other high profile kiwis that are also giving the bears to children at Wellington, Lower Hutt and Waikato hospitals on behalf of the Surgical Research Trust.

The Surgical Research Trust promotes advances in surgery for the benefit of the entire community and was initially established to support the development of research in the Department of Surgery at the Wellington School of Medicine. The trust’s support has now been expanded to the surgical departments of several other hospitals around the country.

ENDS