Lake Taupō Hospice is a registered charity run by the Lake Taupō Hospice Trust and we provide palliative care to patients who are nearing the end of their life’s journey. The term palliative means alleviating without curing.
We are members of Hospice NZ, the national hospice movement that ensures every New Zealander has access to quality palliative care.
Lake Taupō Hospice is a community based hospice meaning our focus is on caring for people in their homes. Patients do not stay overnight at Hospice House but if circumstances mean that it is no longer appropriate for a patient to be cared for at home there are residential hospice beds available in local Rest Homes where the patient will still be under the care of Hospice.
Our hospice receives some funding from the Lakes DHB to help run our palliative home care services. However, as it costs just under $1 million per year to provide these services, we need to fundraise at least $500,000 every year. Please help us by donating money, time, goods or by leaving a bequest in your will.
Anyone who is dying has the opportunity to celebrate their life with the help of our hospice. Therefore, living every moment is reflected in all the services we offer. We care about our patients’ quality of life, their comfort and their wellbeing.
And hospice care doesn’t stop when a patient dies, we continue to care and help those loved ones left behind.
To provide leading palliative home care service, our nurses and hospice volunteers travel extensively throughout the district, which includes northern National Park, Turangi, Kuratau, Taupō, through to Tarawera on SH5.
Nau mai kite Whare Hau ora o Taupō. Kia piri tahi ai ite aroha mete whakaro kotahi ote hua arahi kotahitanga
Lake Taupō Hospice provides palliative care to patients who are nearing the end of their life’s journey. The term palliative means alleviating without curing.
Lake Taupō Hospice cares for our patients and their families and friends both before and after a death irrespective of their social status, financial circumstances, age, gender or religion. This care is provided through practical advice and physical, emotional and spiritual support with the emphasis on pain relief and symptom management.
Our focus is on caring for people in their homes. Patients are usually referred to hospice community nursing from their GPs or hospital doctors although a patient’s family/friends are welcome to contact us directly.
To provide leading palliative home care service, our nurses and hospice volunteers travel extensively throughout the district, which includes northern National Park, Turangi, Kuratau, Taupō, through to Tarawera on SH5.
Lake Taupō Hospice Trust is the governance trust for all the activities associated with Lake Taupō Hospice. It is registered under the Charitable Trusts Act 2005 and provides leadership for the Hospice on behalf of the people of Taupō, Turangi and the surrounding area.
All board members are volunteers and are selected for, and use their extensive professional experience, expertise and insights to provide the strategic direction and collaboration approaches which guide the day to day running of Lake Taupō Hospice.
Drawn from the local community board members ensure that Lake Taupō hospice is properly governed, effectively managed, is sustainable financially and operationally and that all statutory compliance is undertaken.
Lake Taupō Hospice Development Trust is a trust independent of the operational trust. They have responsibility for, and act as landlord for Lake Taupō Hospice building assets.
Alan is a Lawyer with over 40 years experience in public law and litigation, the last 35 years of which have been in Taupō.
During that time, he has been extensively involved in community and public organisations including appointments:
He brings to the Board extensive knowledge and experience of governance of community and public organisations.
Kathy Guy has been involved in the Tourism & Hospitality Industry since the mid 70’s and is currently Group General Manager of both Chateau Tongariro and Wairakei Resort. Kathy was recognized in the 2016 New Year’s Honours List and received a NZ Order of Merit for her contribution to Tourism and Hospitality.
Kathy is a Director of Mountain Air and has held two terms on the national Board of Tourism New Zealand.
She also previously held Central North Island Chair for NZ Hotel Council and was previously Chair of Visit Ruapehu and Chair of the Government’s Central North island Major Regional Initiative which encompassed Ruapehu, Rangitikei and Wanganui regions.
Kathy currently sits on the Board of Destination Great Lake Taupō, Taupō Economic Development Board and The Lake Taupō Airport Authority.
Kathy brings to the Board of Lake Taupō Hospice her business and governance knowledge.
Kamiria Gosman, also known as Kim is of NgāPuhi, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa and Ngāti Tautahi descent and has lived in the Central North Island Plateau for 42 years, residing in Turangi for the past 27 years. A registered nurse and midwife, Kim has extensive experience and expertise in a range of disciplines and in particular women, child and family health, Maori health that includes the introduction of culturally safe clinical practices, organisational strategy, leadership, management, quality (cert.) and accreditation.
A Trustee of Lake Taupō Hospice Trust since August 2014, Kim, is committed to supporting and retaining services for the health and well-being of people living and working in the rural areas of Turangi and Mangakino and the town of Taupō.
Murray has been resident of Taupō since 2001.
Now retired, he worked for more than 40 years in the electric power generation industry in New Zealand, Australia and the UK. He has qualifications in engineering and business management and has held several roles in the industry – with his last assignment as Generation Manager of Contact Energy’s geothermal power operations based at Wairakei.
Murray brings his wide ranging management, business and strategic skills to the Lake Taupō Hospice Trust board.
Angela Clark is a Director of DPA Chartered Accountants here in Taupō. Her knowledge and professionalism is so respected that she was the first non-Chartered Accountant to receive a Certificate of Public Practice from Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand and she is now a Fellow of the Institute.
Angela brings to the board her extensive financial, commercial and trust expertise, along with a personable approach that has made her famous among her clients at DPA.
Outside of business, catch her exploring NZ with her family or knitting for all the babies that seem to keep popping up at DPA.
Dr René Lenoir hails from the Netherlands but has made New Zealand his home since 2007. As a General Practitioner René works in Turangi and is a passionate advocate of rural community health and actively participates in training the next generation of General Practitioners and junior doctors on the National teaching programs. René joined the Hospice board as clinical advisor but also as he has a special interest in quality palliative care.
René is a keen mountain biker, loves traveling and is skillful Hello Fresh chef.
Karlynne Earp was born in Taupō and has recently returned home after spending the past year living in Singapore. The previous 33 years were spent in the Auckland Community working as a Registered Nurse Manager, Funeral Celebrant and Supervisor.
She brings to the Lake Taupō Hospice her experience as a Health Professional and her passion for celebrating life.
Having Project Managed and led (sustainable) – National, regional, and local, collaborative health projects for the past 20 years. Lets’ beat diabetes, school-based health services and more recently, (since 2012) leading End of life Advance Care Planning (ACP) teams from project status to business as usual, in primary, secondary and community care settings, including Hospice.
Her operational management skills working as a senior Clinical Nurse Manager for one of New Zealand’s busiest hospitals. Awarded “Leading Excellence in Health Care” Programme 2010 UoA CMDHB
Karlynne cherishes family and friends and is committed to on-going personal development. She loves travel and living by the water, paddle boarding, sailing, fishing, yoga, hiking and biking.
I have a passion for Hospice and the quality service that we offer. It’s an absolute pleasure to be a part of the Lake Taupō Hospice family.
When work isn’t my focus, I enjoy spending my time outdoors with family or painting with acrylics and walking my dog in nature.
My grandmother passed away under Lake Taupo Hospice’s wonderful care. I often say it is she who brought me to Hospice. I love working here and supporting the great work that the nurses do, using my accounting and legal background. My favourite part is meeting the patients, everyone has great stories to tell. There is a lot of fun and laughter here at hospice house on Tuesdays.
When I’m not at work I enjoy singing in a local choir group, volunteering at Civil Defence, doing half marathons (walking of course) spending time with my extended family and my four-legged companion, Shadow.
Theresa is a NZRGON (1981) with a PG Certificate in Palliative Care (2006) and a Masters of Nursing – Clinical with Distinction (2008). She has extensive experience in both clinical and nursing leadership and management roles across oncology, haematology and palliative care.
Her hobbies include paddle boarding, wakeboarding and reading.
I have been working for Lake Taupo Hospice since August of 2016 as Retail Manager, in charge of both our Taupo and Turangi retail stores, and overseeing our online sales offering via Trade Me, Online Shop, and Facebook.
The income we are generating from these ventures, helps to fund the critical Palliative Care services our Hospice Clinical Team is providing to the wider Lake Taupo community.
Our retail team of staff and volunteers are doing an amazing job, and we are all happy to do our bit for such a worthwhile and caring organisation, knowing that all the funds raised, are used locally for the benefit of our people.
Outside of Hospice life, I like to participate in a wide variety of sporting and outdoor activities, as well as spending lots of time with my wife, and our son and daughter whenever they are back in town.
My family and I experienced the care and support of hospice when Mum was sick. After learning the concept of hospice, I wanted to help in practical way, so I signed up as a volunteer.
Now I love being able to connect the skills, dedication and kindness of the volunteers with the needs of the patients.
I am Taupo born and breed, I love living here and enjoy the Taupo community. When I’m not working, I can be found in my sewing room indulging in my other great love of patch work and quilting.
My name is Annabel and I have been a registered New Zealand nurse, qualifying at the end of 1993. I was born in Auckland and went on to study nursing at Manukau Polytechnic.
I spent one year working as a staff nurse on an acute medical ward at Middlemore hospital before heading over to the UK for my big OE. ? There I worked for 7 and a half years in London in several private hospitals, mainly based at the Harley Street Clinic and Wellington hospital on the Cardiothoracics and Coronary care units.
We decided to spend our first New Year’s up at Edinburgh’s 1996 Hogmanay which we thoroughly enjoyed so I went back and lived there 6 months working at the Royal Infirmary hospital in the acute poisons , renal and liver transplant units.
I had 8 fantastic years traveling around the world, each year working long 12 hr shifts for 8-9 months in London then off traveling for 3-4 months ?
Returning home in January 2003, I met my lovely partner Dean and we decided to move down to Taupo. I began work for a short time in the IPU at Taupo hospital then moved into the Emergency department and remained there for 14 years part time. During this time, I trained as an Advanced Cardiac life support instructor and taught part time for 9 years both at Rotorua and Taupo hospitals.
I was finding having young children and shift work rather tiring so was looking for a job that would provide more social hours.
Suzie Kuper approached me several years ago asking if I’d be interested in joining their team at Hospice.
I have been at Lake Taupo Hospice now for just over 7 years and it has so far been an absolute privilege to nurse alongside my patients on their palliative journeys. I found my role challenging at times given the nature of our work but most importantly, I found it very rewarding and would like to remain in my community palliative hospice role many years to come. ?
I’m a Registered Nurse who joined the clinical team as a Community Palliative Care nurse in 2014.
Originally from the United Kingdom, I have worked locally at the Taupo Hospital and for the Needs Assessment Team in the community.
In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, a good New Zealand chardonnay and supporting the All Blacks!!
My life’s work has revolved around supporting young families. I feel privileged to now be part of the Hospice Family Support Team.
I am Emily Tamepo Kaiawhina for Lake Taupo Hospice. I have lived in Turangi for 54 years and have been associated with Turangi Bereavement Group. I am a retired Minister and enjoy mountain biking, skiing and reading.
