The decision comes after 37 years of dedicated fundraising efforts aimed at providing in-home and care-facility-based support for terminally ill patients and their carers in the Waitaki region.
In addition to offering direct care, the trust has played a pivotal role in funding specialised palliative care training for local nurses and carers, ensuring quality end-of-life care was available across various local settings.
For the past 25 years, Dr Brian Robinson has served as the trust’s chairman.
Reflecting on its legacy, he noted the trust had always been "under the radar" but emphasised the need for high-quality palliative care in the region remained as urgent as ever.
However, he pointed out the trust’s role in supporting local hospice care had largely been taken over by the Otago Community Hospice, which had expanded its regional reach in recent years.
The hospice now operates in Oamaru, providing services to Waitaki as well as South and Central Otago.
While the trust will be winding down, its contributions to the region’s palliative care landscape have left a lasting impact, particularly through its ongoing support for local nurses and carers.
The hospice’s expanded presence was expected to continue meeting the region’s needs in the future.
"It’s not worth our while to keep on going trying to raise money when they area is already doing the same thing," Dr Robinson said.
The trust would formally wind up and throw its support behind the hospice.
The trust had primarily sought to assist the dying in their own homes or within local care facilities, he said.
It had also provided a range of palliative aids and equipment for those in their final days at home or in local care.
The initial need for viable palliative care options in the region became more acute when the 120-bed Oamaru hospital was cast in doubt in the 1990s.
This led to the old hospital’s closure in 2000 and the new 30-bed facility at Takaro Park.
"Prior to 1986 terminally ill people of North Otago were cared for by the hospital and community services."
In 1986, Rotary approached the Waitaki Hospital Board about setting up a hospice.
A working party was formed which led to the emergence of the trust, he said.
At the time, the preference was to establish a scheme of home hospice care based on the premise "hospice is a philosophy of care - not a building".
The trust had enabled appropriate services, facilities and equipment - such special beds and lazy-boy chairs - to be made available for the terminally ill at home or in hospital.
Alongside that the trust had funded local nurse and carer palliative education.
This work had been funded through grants, donations and raffles, Dr Robinson said.
