swimTonyswim

$3,606 of $3,000 goal
Given by 59 generous donors in 18 days

“Offering his dad bod” for Amitabha Hospice by swimming across Auckland Harbour!

Auckland

Tony has this outrageous dream of crossing Auckland Harbour by water, with no boat. He has watched people swimming across the harbour as an annual event and thought he would never do that: he was never good at swimming. 2 years ago he couldn't even make 1 length of the pool. Plus he has a phobia of the deep water. Doing the harbour swim was just an elusive fantasy.

In 2014 a foot injury meant he needed to find a different way of keeping fit. His regular medium distance runs were out! Swimming was the obvious choice. Help with getting in the pool, the deep end of the pool came when former Olympian and world number one swimmer Paul Kent taught him the basics of swimming and fixed his pool phobia. Since then, Tony has been swim training in the pool and open water three times a week with the goal of crossing the harbour in 2016. That time has come!

Among the things that Tony does (as a psychiatrist, sleep specialist, cellist, academic researcher, meditation teacher), is being the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Amitabha Hospice. In the last Board of Trustees meeting, the usual issue of how to raise funds to maintain the services and the buildings of the hospice was hot topic.

Volunteers need petrol vouchers to visit their patients scattered all over Auckland. The meeting hall where patients receive day care has water seepage. The driveway is in disrepair. The grass needs regular mowing but funds are limited. Even though the hospice provides invaluable free care to many patients, it does not receive any government funding and purely relies on private donations and grants.

It was in the last Board of Trustees meeting that Tony realised that he could combine this personal challenge with this funding challenge and he “offered his body” to raise funds for the hospice.

You can help motivate Tony to swim and support Amitabha by sponsoring his swim. $45 will mow our lawns, $50 will buy 5 petrol vouchers for our volunteers, $100 will promote Amitabha so we keep getting volunteers to support those amongst us who need our help.

He will attempt to cross the harbour from Herne Bay to Chelsea Sugar Refinery, a 2.4 kilometre swim, by joining the annual Chelsea Swim on the 21st of February 2016.

Help Tony raise funds for Amitabha Hospice (http://www.amitabhahospice.org/) by sponsoring his dad bod in the annual Chelsea Swim.

Amitabha Hospice Service Trust's involvement (page creator)

I would love to see all people receive the support they need when they, or someone close to them, feels death close by. For this reason I am supporting this cause of raising funds for Amitabha to continue to offer it's services to the Auckland community.

About us

We offer free, weekly, compassionate support companionship for people throughout Auckland living in their own homes with life-limiting conditions. We provide trained and supervised support companionship throughout the greater Auckland area. With the Buddhist principles of love, integrity, equanimity, and service. Amitabha Hospice serves people of all religions and all cultures in their own homes. We also provide two free day-stays(Tues and Frid) which enhance their lives with laughter and creativity. We are dedicated to developing and maintaining the highest quality of compassionate care in cooperation with other professional community services.

Amitabha Hospice is a NZ Registered Charitable Trust, CC21184, and a member of Hospice NZ.

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Latest donations

Rebecca Mairs
Rebecca Mairs on 24 Feb 2016
Amazing!
$30
sati
sati on 23 Feb 2016
congratulations on a great swim
Private
Monica Leon
Monica Leon on 22 Feb 2016
Well done Tony. I also don't know how to swim, and for all the same reasons. This was a great idea to help Amitabha.
$20
Marc
Marc on 21 Feb 2016
Well done!
$20
Guy in a toga
Guy in a toga on 21 Feb 2016
Private

Who's involved?

Amitabha Hospice Service Trust's avatar
Created by, and paying to a verified bank account of, Amitabha Hospice Service Trust (Charity)
Registered Charity
A Registered Charity has legal recognition under the Charities Act 2005.
Tax credit
Donations of over $5 are eligible for a New Zealand charitable giving tax credit.
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This campaign started on 11 Feb 2016 and ended on 29 Feb 2016.