Today it is a little more than an empty shell, but within months will be full of life-saving skin cancer screening equipment.
The Lions Clubs Cancer Trust Board mobile unit, will bring screening free to communities throughout the South Island. It is being built right here in Ashburton, by BT Coach Builders.
Directors Jo Smith and Brendan Thompson said the project, due for completion in March, was one they were proud to be part of.
‘‘Cancer has touched our lives and the lives of some of our staff,’’ Smith said.
‘‘The vehicle will be fully self sufficient and include state of art equipment, including a screening machine which will allow full body scans to be taken,’’ Thomson said.
The trust was established in 2022 to fund and operate the mobile screening service.
The concept behind the project is to provide screening by trained health professionals, targeting those who might otherwise avoid such a service due to cost.
Trust co-ordinator Paul O’Connor said the idea came from a similar project in Australia.
‘‘We will also go to events such as the South Island Motor Home show held here, we will go to the people rather than them having to travel to access a screening,’’ O’Connor said.
Suppliers have jumped on board to be part of the project, the total cost of which is $700,000. The trust plans to offer grants to help nurses up-skill in undertaking cancer screening. And once the vehicle is on the road, it plans to seek out retired doctors and nurses, media and marketing experts, drivers in each area, and volunteers to assist in the reception area.
New Zealand’s 300 Lions clubs are behind the project, which has also received $124,000 from Lions International. Fundraising is under way for a second mobile unit to cover the North Island.
- To give to Lions Clubs Cancer Trust, go to givealittle.co. nz/org/the-lions-clubs-cancertrust.
