YOUR HEALTH

Getting Healthy

Every two months an article from our community publication 'HealthFirst' is placed in this section of the website.

Getting Healthy article - Fun and Laughter at Boat Race imageFun and Laughter at Boat Race

The annual paediatrics boat race took place on 17th February. A record number of teams took part in the event which has now become one of the highlights on the Canterbury District Health Board’s (CDHB) social calendar.

Scores of young hospital patients and their parents lined the banks of the Avon River and overbridges to witness the action. Children hurled water bombs at the staff and squirted them with waterguns as they were locked in a competitive race to the finish line.  The race starts on the riverside of the hospital allowing young patients who are unable to be outside the chance to see the activity from the window.

‘The boat race started a number of years ago as a payback for young patients who often endure painful intervention in their treatments,’ says race organiser and Children’s Haematology Oncology Centre (CHOC) Charge Nurse, Jan Millar. ‘The children love being able to waterbomb their doctors and nurses. Fun and laughter is an integral part of our child health philosophy and this event provides both.’

Jan, who also participated in the race, says this year’s race was particularly competitive in the race itself and in teams’ attire.

‘Everyone went to an enormous amount of trouble to dress up and it added to the colour and vibrancy of the day.’

A total of 22 teams took part in the event.

The medical teams who traditionally win the race had to take second place this year to Sarah Whyte and Sarah Noble, both teachers from the Southern Regional Health School.

The reward for their rowing effort: holding up the coveted race cup which was made by one of the children patients.