Sunshine Hospice Media Release 17 May 2019
Sunshine Hospice announces land purchase for new hospice
Sunshine Hospice and its more than 200 volunteers are excited to announce the recent purchase of a 6100m2 land parcel at 7-15 Illuka Street, Buderim.
For some years, Sunshine Hospice has been looking for a site on which to create the coast’s first ever purpose-built community hospice.
According to Sunshine Hospice Board Chairman Frank Lewins, Unitywater offered this land to the market during the past year and the Sunshine Hospice team is delighted to be the successful purchaser.
“Sunshine Hospice has been fundraising for more than three years to fulfil its vision of creating a six- bed hospice sanctuary,” says Dr Lewins.
“Our experience in hospice operations highlighted an ever-increasing need for a 24/7 residential hospice, especially given our ageing population. Our vision is to provide high quality, residential palliative care.
“The hospice will provide an end of life alternative to hospital, aged care or home care, in a peaceful setting.”
Sunshine Hospice is an experienced hospice care provider. It is a Sunshine Coast community-based charity and was established in 2008.
Dr Lewins said it is important to counter misconceptions about hospices. “A hospice is not a hospital, but rather a peaceful home away from home.”
“Sunshine Hospice will be a quiet place: architecturally designed and surrounded by natural bushland and landscaped areas, providing a tranquil environment for patients.
“The hospice will care for a person’s physical, spiritual and psychological wellbeing, as well as supporting loved ones.
“Hospice care will be delivered free of charge to the patient. In a similar way to other hospices in Queensland, we will be sustained by a range of funding sources including our own community fundraising, private health funds, Department of Veterans’ Affairs and government.”
Services to be offered include end of life care, respite care, grief and bereavement counselling and limited accommodation for families who need to be close to loved ones.
The hospice will have the capacity to offer training for palliative care professionals.
Dr Lewins said “Sunshine Hospice will be lodging a Material Change of Use Development Application with Sunshine Coast Council next week, seeking approval to build our six-bed hospice”.
The Sunshine Hospice Board will now commence a multi-faceted fundraising campaign to raise the funds required to construct the facility which will provide a fully functioning 24/7 residential hospice on the idyllic site purchased in Buderim. High level costing estimates indicate that we need to raise $5m for the building in addition to fit out costs.
“We will be calling on both State and Federal Governments, the corporate sector and the Sunshine Coast Community to support our fundraising campaign objective to ensure we deliver on this exciting community project.
We acknowledge the commitment and loyalty of our volunteers who manage and run our Op Shops. These shops raise much needed funds for the hospice project and todays’ announcement is a tribute to their hard work and dedication” Dr Lewins concluded.
Unitywater Corporate Development Manager Ray Aspey said:
“Unitywater has owned the land for many years. We had originally intended it to be the site of a future water reservoir, but our plans changed in recent times and we no longer had a need for it”.
“We send our best wishes to Sunshine Hospice on their purchase and their plans,” he said.
“For Unitywater, this is more than an ordinary property transaction. We acknowledge the added meaning behind the sale, given that the land stands to be used for such a noble and heart-warming purpose.”
Media contact: Sue Mason-Baker, Managing Director on 0418 246 383.