Under the cover of darkness, BT Coach Builders managing directors Brendan Thomson and Jo Smith from Ashburton, drove a special vehicle to Hanmer Springs, concealing it in a local church ground.
It was the Lions Club Cancer Trust free screening unit and they had taken it from Ashburton to the Lions Clubs of Zone 4 District 202E convention. It was a collaborative project with their company and others including Go Bus.
Lions Clubs from around New Zealand and internationally had raised the funds to create the lifesaving skin cancer detection mobile vehicle.
Smith said she coined a phrase in regards to the screening unit; “built by a community for our community, staffed by volunteers, powered by donations.”
“I was blown away with how the unit was received. It has been amazing to see the businesses coming on board donating and discounting services and supplies. The Lions Clubs have been amazing, for example the Christchurch Lions Chinese Club just gave $55,000,” Smith said.
Lions Clubs nationwide, including members who took part in the Rowing for Life Aotearoa New Zealand had contributed funds to the build.
While it has taken a lot of work and finances to establish the lifesaving unit everyone who has been approached to be involved had willingly come on board because they believed in the project, Smith said.
At Hanmer Springs, Dr Hamish Campbell, an MP and skin cancer specialist, had the honour of launching the vehicle, and 28 people had a pain-free 15-minute complete skin check for free.
Six people from that screening were referred on for further assessments.
Now the vehicle is ready to travel around the South Island to offer the free screening service to the public.
Volunteers were needed to get the unit out and operational, especially nurses and doctors to come on board and staff the vehicle where it goes. To assist medical people to train to use the equipment in the state of art unit the Lions have put up four $1500 scholarships towards the training cost.
Along with medical staff, other volunteers are needed in each area the unit visits to assist with roles such as administration tasks, driving the unit to the location or providing hospitality.
‘‘Prior to the unit being made many people stressed about the cost of getting a screening, or accessing a scan. The mobile unit frees up GPs and medical professionals as by the time people get to them they will have the results from the screening,’’ Smith said.
More than 30 businesses have supported the build and there is talk of building another for the North Island. It has already garnered support.
The unit follows a similar concept by Lions in Australia who set up a screening unit in 1990.
In 2019 they spoke at the New Zealand Lions Convention. Paul O’Connor from Halswell Lions Club was alarmed at the statistics of about 540 New Zealanders dying of melanoma a year with New Zealand having one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.
He has spearheaded the Lions Cancer Trust that was established to make the units a reality.
Presently Lions Clubs in New Zealand have raised $500,000 towards the building of this unit and the future one, along with Lions Club International Foundation who have given $100,000 and major sponsor Go Bus Kinetic.
– To give to Lions Clubs Cancer Trust, go to givealittle.co. nz/org/the-lionsclubs-cancertrust. For information regarding the trust or to volunteering contact trust chair Paul O’Connor via email [email protected]. nz
