A render of Rānui Apartments, a 43-apartment complex in Christchurch set to open in November 2024 and operated by the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust. Photo: Supplied / Great Scott PR
A Christchurch charitable trust says last year they had to turn away more than 600 families from their patient accommodation, but they are hoping a new apartment complex will ease some of the pressure.
The Bone Marrow Cancer Trust has been operating Rānui House in Christchurch since 1993, but the trust says in the last year they had to turn away 664 families because the house was full.
Next month it will open Rānui Apartments is a 43-apartment complex.
Bone Marrow Cancer Trust chief executive Mandy Kennedy said it was heartbreaking that every day they had to turn families away because they were full.
"This is just the unmet demand we know about," Kennedy. "Many more times travel bookers or families don't even try to book in as they know we have no room."
Kylie Raine with her eight-year-old son Jackson at Rānui House. Photo: Supplied / Great Scott PR
One of the people who has made use of Rānui House is Kylie Raine from Kaikōura, who said it had been a saving grace during her multiple trips to Christchurch for medical treatment.
She has spent 44 nights in Rānui House across five different hospital visits.
Her first stay was in September 2023 after having a double mastectomy and implant surgery at Christchurch Hospital after finding out she had the BRCA gene a few years earlier.
Inside one of the apartments at Rānui House. Photo: Supplied / Great Scott PR
She said being able to stay at Rānui House was a life saver for her, her husband and their two young boys.
"The receptionists, the team of them, they check in every time you go past. Checking in how I was doing, when my drains were coming out, how the kids are. They are so friendly."
She said her two boys, now eight and four, love visiting Rānui House and think of it as their Christchurch home which she said made the whole process much easier.
Raine said it was a relief to know Rānui Apartments would allow many more families like hers to be able to get the support and care Rānui provided.
The trust has also launched a fundraising campaign with the hope of raising around $250,000 to ensure the apartments have extra home comforts to support the families during their visits.
