The new Hugo Living Well Suite at Tōtara Hospice will help people with a terminal illness enhance their quality of life for the time they have left.
A bespoke centre providing integrated clinical and social care for patients and whānau, the new area includes space for counselling, outpatient clinical consultations, group therapy, group education, and a palliative rehabilitation gym. It also has family rooms.
“At Tōtara Hospice, we are deeply committed to supporting those with a terminal illness to define what living well and dying well means for them,” says Tōtara Hospice CEO Tina McCafferty.
The new suite, created by repurposing an existing wing of the Tōtara Hospice Hub, is part of phase one of a comprehensive programme that will allow the facility to better meet the growing demand for its services.
“It will enable more people to access a broader spectrum of wraparound programmes from our expert multidisciplinary team, including nurses, doctors, counsellors, cultural support workers, and allied health professionals. It will also support us to increase our productivity and reach through the availability of digital health services.”
Tōtara Hospice’s active patient numbers have doubled in the past eight years and in the 12 months to June 2025, the team based in the heart of South Auckland supported 1,530 patients and their families.
“Our programmes are designed to help those patients manage symptoms, build physical and emotional strength, understand their illness, and stay connected to life and community. These include group activities, cultural and spiritual care, palliative rehabilitation, counselling, music and art therapy, and educational workshops,” Tina says.
Wiri Licensing Trust has contributed to the renovation by helping secure $50,000 from Trillian to cover furniture and IT equipment for the Hugo Living Well Suite.
General Manager Kim Green says the Trust is proud to help Tōtara Hospice continue to provide leading-edge, holistic, specialist care, services and programmes in the local community.
“Hospice care touches the lives of so many families in our community. Supporting Tōtara Hospice helps ensure people can access compassionate, expert care close to home when they need it most.”
Tina McCafferty says the support could not have come at a better time, as the organisation evolves its services to meet the community’s changing needs.
“This donation allows us to take a major first step towards ensuring we remain fit for purpose and can meet the needs of our diverse and rapidly growing community. It enables us to continue providing facilities and services that support people to live well and die well, with dignity, choice and connection.”
Fundraising Manager Kim Sinfield says this project could not have been delivered without support from funders.
“In one of the most economically constrained regions in the country, every dollar of community support we receive is already fully committed to covering our operating costs. Around half our annual budget relies on this generosity, leaving little room to develop new services or strengthen our response to rising demand. Support from Wiri and Trillian has made this vital project possible.”
The Hugo Living Well Suite will help ensure more people across South Auckland can access the care, support and programmes they need during some of life’s most challenging moments.
Find out more about the work of Tōtara Hospice on the organisation’s website.
Wiri Licensing Trust wants to connect with local community groups and organisations that are doing great work in our hood to understand how we can better support you – email us at info@wiritrust.org.nz.
