About 20 children will undergo ear, nose and throat surgeries at Dunedin's Mercy Hospital in coming weeks because of a $25,000 donation from the Pinot Noir Charitable Trust.
The Pinot Noir Charitable Trust was established in 2005 as a way for the wine industry in Central Otago to give back to the community, chairman Alistair King said.
In January each year the industry promoted and celebrated itself.A charity auction was among events held.
This year, John Hawkesby was guest auctioneer and some vineyards sold wine from their upcoming harvest.
"Effectively, it is auctioning off the futures of that wine," Mr King said.
He knew the money would be of "fantastic benefit" to the Central Otago community.
The donation was matched dollar for dollar by the hospital's Outreach Fund to enable a collaborative venture to be undertaken, chief executive officer Richard Whitney said. He described the "generous opportunity" as a win-win situation as it would assist children who did not qualify for intervention within the public hospital system and for whom the cost of private surgery was too high.
One of the three surgeons who will perform the operations, Dr Patrick Dawes, was pleased families would benefit and have uncertainty lifted from sick children.
The surgeons visited Central Otago regularly and would identify appropriate patients for the surgeries.
Families would travel to Dunedin at their own cost and receive follow-up appointments at Central Otago clinics.The first four patients will receive treatment on March 25.
Surgeries are expected to continue through to April.
