Interest in Neurosurgery house high and will sell!

On the 21st April Harcourts Dunedin will auction the neurosurgery fundraiser house on site in the Mitre 10 Mega car park on Anderson Bay Road, Dunedin.

Marketing of the charity house, undertaken by Harcourts Dunedin, has returned great interest over the last few weeks says Harcourts Dunedin Manager Geoff Stevens and sales consultant Jane Bradshaw.

“We have seen good numbers through the open homes averaging 130 people each weekend which is great,” says Jane.

“Over the last four open homes there has been a lot of interest from different parties. This weekend will be the last opportunity to view the charity home from 1130am with the auction scheduled for 1230pm.”

March 3 saw local businesses unite as Mitre 10 Mega, Certified Builders Association of New Zealand and Harcourts Dunedin announced plans to build a three-bedroom home in the Mitre 10 Mega car park with proceeds going to the Chair of Neurosurgery fund.

When Harcourts Dunedin read about the Neurosurgery Unit fund raising drive in the Otago Daily Times they offered to volunteer to help raise the $3 million.

“Mitre 10 Mega and Certified Builders lead a team of tradespeople who have given time and materials, while Harcourts are marketing and providing auctioneer services on the day all for free to help raise funds for the project. It is such a wonderful cause and we are confident this house will sell on Saturday,” said Ms Bradshaw.

Harcourts Dunedin Manager Geoff Stevens says that he expects the house to be popular as have all auctions in Dunedin of late.

“This is such a great cause and one contribution of many great donations and grants given. We do hope this auction will see a great result for the campaign. Harcourts properties have seen multiple offers and increased interest in Auction of late, as good properties are selling well.  We have noticed a tightening of stock numbers and so I do think as we experience buyer demand that the Neurosurgery Charity House will be popular,” said Mr Stevens.

This charity auction is but one event aimed at raising funds for the campaign launched in January 2012 to fund the appointment of a Professor for New Zealand’s first academic neurosurgery unit, based at Otago University. This is an essential role to ensure the ongoing delivery of neurosurgical services to Otago and Southland, and will also add significant value to neurosurgical research in New Zealand.

Otago University Pro Vice-Chancellor, health sciences, Peter Crampton said he is excited by the campaign’s early success. The chair in neurosurgery was a crucial part of future-proofing the service.

“This is testament to the importance of the neurosurgical service to the people of Southland, Otago and the South Island,” Mr Crampton said.

Since The Neurological Foundation’s inception the fundraising has run like this:

21 Jan         $500,000+
15 Feb        $1,380,939
24 Feb        $1,500,000
14 Apr        $2,000,000

And on the 21st of April the charity house will be auctioned to add to the fund.

Academic units already exist in Canada, USA, the UK, and Australia, and in 2010 an expert panel recommended the unit be established to ensure that New Zealand has a similar academic neurosurgical centre of excellence.

Public donations can be made:

Online at www.chairofneurosurgery.org.nz,

At any National Bank or ANZ branch to the account Neurosurgery Campaign, account number 0602870133301-05.

By mail: Freepost 2064, Neurosurgery Campaign, PO Box 914, Dunedin, 9054.