Private Dinner with Richie McCaw Raises Thousands for Spinal Charity

Kiwis with a passion for charity and rugby have stumped up almost $7000 for a private dinner with Richie McCaw in an online auction to help raise funds for those in the South Pacific suffering with spinal injuries.

The auction aims to raise money to support those with spinal injuries including Samoan rugby players through a Trade Me auction fundraiser and will close Thursday, 9th July at 9pm.

The Pacific Disability Support Trust (PDST) was established in 2013 to help those suffering from spinal injuries in the South Pacific region and cover the costs of shipping donated medical supplies from New Zealand to Fiji and Samoa.

The auction items available include a dinner for six people with Richie McCaw at Auckland’s Euro, with bids for this near the $7,000 mark already.

McCaw has also donated a 2011 RWC jersey, made of the colours of the four winning World Cup teams; New Zealand, South Africa, England and Australia and is signed by all seven winning World Cup captains;  David Kirk,  Nick Farr-Jones, Francois Pienaar, John Eales, Martin Johnson, John Smit and McCaw.

McCaw is a strong supporter of efforts to help people with disabilities in the South Pacific, which began with his involvement in 2010 when over $300,000 was raised to support Ben Lei'a, a young Samoan boy who broke his neck playing rugby there.

“I felt privileged to help raise the funds to assist Ben. .Ben is a courageous young man and deserves all the help we can give. Through him, we have become aware that there are many others with spinal injuries in Samoa and Fiji whose lives are very bleak. So I want to do what I can to make their loads a little lighter so they can live with dignity and purpose.

“If you can support the charity auction on line I know the Pacific Disability Support Trust will use that money to help as many people as possible,” says McCaw.

Established by Raj Singhal clinical director of Burwood Spinal Unit, Andrew Hall of the Canterbury Health Board and Brent Thomas from House of Travel, the three trustees were also instrumental in the Black Friday Trust and Ben Lei’a Trust.

The Ben Lei’a Trust received enough funds to build a suitable house for Ben and  provide for his day-to-day care. In addition the trust has been able to support the work of a number of people in Samoa who assist Samoan people with spinal injuries.

Brent Thomas says he is excited to be part of a new organisation committed to enhancing the lives of those suffering with spinal injuries in the South Pacific region.

The Pacific Disability Support Trust was established to fund support services and distribute medical supplies for people with disabilities in the South Pacific.

“It is our hope that we will be able to generate significant funds from this auction and other fundraisers we do to create a better life for those in the South Pacific with spinal injuries,” says Thomas.

Along with dinner with Richie McCaw and his jersey other auction items up for grabs include; the 2014 Four Nations - Toa Samoa Jersey signed, a degustation dinner for four at Merediths, 2015 Manu Samoa jersey, signed by players and a five night holiday staying at Return to Paradise including flights on Air NZ ( ex AKL),

You can check these out on Trade Me http://trade.me/pdst or visit http://pacificdstrust.org/