Southern Charity Hospital founder Melissa Vining has secured the services of world-renowned surgeon Professor Frank Frizelle to perform colonoscopies at the newly opened facility.
"He’s the Richie McCaw of colorectal surgeons," Mrs Vining said.
Being compared to a two-time Rugby World Cup-winning All Black, sits uneasily with Prof Frizelle, but Mrs Vining cherishes his "heroic" status.
Before Mrs Vining had even approached him about volunteering his services to the Southern Charity Hospital project, he had already decided he wanted to be involved.
"I worked in Southland as a registrar with surgeons like Murray Pfeifer, George Ngaei and Doug Allan, who were great role models for commitment to the community," Prof Frizelle said.
"I have been involved with the Canterbury Charity Hospital for many years, so when a chance to get involved with this project came up I immediately jumped at the opportunity to return some of the support I have received from the Southland community."
Canterbury-based Prof Frizelle is professor of colorectal surgery at the University of Otago, Christchurch campus, editor-in-chief of the New Zealand Medical Journal since 2002 and president of the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand.
He’s also chairman of the Christchurch Cancer Foundation, a medical adviser to Bowel Cancer New Zealand and deputy chairman to the Australia-New Zealand bi-national bowler cancer register.
"The determination of Vining, Pfeifer and many others to ensure the late Blair Vining’s dream of a charity hospital became a reality was inspirational," he said.
The building will officially be opened tomorrow by Marjorie Cosgrove, supported by her daughters Andrea de Vries and Paula Menzies, and Mr Vining’s daughters Della-May and Lilly Vining.
