Roll’d For A Reason: This Friday (19th June) We Are Supporting Tōtara Hospice

On Friday 19 June, Roll’d New Zealand will proudly launch our very first Roll’d For A Reason community fundraising event, with a commitment to donate $10,000 to Tōtara Hospice.

Roll’d For A Reason was created to support organisations making a meaningful difference within our local communities. For our first event, we couldn’t think of a more deserving partner than Tōtara Hospice — an organisation that supports thousands of families across South and South-East Auckland every year.

As we prepared for the event, we sat down with Tōtara Hospice Chief Executive Jo Pretscherer to better understand the organisation, the people it supports, and the impact hospice care has within our community.

What we learned was both inspiring and eye-opening.

For many people, the word “hospice” can feel confronting. It’s often associated solely with end-of-life care. But according to Jo, that perception only tells part of the story.

“Tōtara Hospice exists to make the world a better place for dying people. Our role is to help people live well for as long as they can, and then support them to die well with dignity, compassion and respect.”

Tōtara Hospice provides specialist palliative care services to people across South and South-East Auckland living with life-limiting illnesses, including cancer, neurological conditions, and chronic diseases affecting the heart, lungs and kidneys.

But the organisation is about far more than medical care.

“Tōtara Hospice isn’t simply a place where people come to die,” says Jo. “It’s a community hub. A place for everyone. We serve people from all walks of life, every culture and background. This is a place where people come to live well until the very end.”

Every day, the Tōtara Hospice team provides physical, emotional, psychological, social and cultural support to patients and their whānau. Their services extend far beyond the walls of the hospice itself, reaching into homes, communities, outpatient clinics, hospitals, aged care facilities and healthcare providers throughout the region.

The scale of that support is remarkable.

Last year alone, Tōtara Hospice:

• Provided specialist palliative care for 1,450 people and their families

• Delivered 34,283 hospice care visits into people’s homes

• Provided the equivalent of 3,224 inpatient care days for people with the most complex needs

• Delivered 722 outpatient sessions

• Facilitated 945 education sessions for community healthcare professionals

As demand continues to grow, so too does the need for community support.

Over the past decade, the need for hospice services in South and South-East Auckland has almost doubled. Population projections indicate that demand will double again in the decade to come.

Yet government funding currently covers only around 63% of the cost of delivering these essential services. The remainder must come from fundraising, community partnerships, retail operations and the generosity of people choosing to give back.

One story Jo shared perfectly captures what hospice care truly means.

A mother receiving care in Tōtara Hospice’s inpatient unit had one wish: to see her son get married.

With only days to prepare, staff transformed the hospice gardens into a wedding venue. Decorations were organised, music arranged, seating prepared, and one staff member even stepped in as the marriage celebrant.

Surrounded by family and loved ones, she walked her son down the aisle and later shared a dance with him.

The smile on her face that day stayed with her for days afterwards and with everyone privileged enough to witness it.

“It was a powerful reminder that hospice care is about so much more than managing symptoms,” says Jo. “It’s about helping people live fully, create precious memories and celebrate life’s most meaningful moments right to the very end.”

It’s stories like these that make the work of Tōtara Hospice so important.

At Roll’d, we’ve always believed food has the power to bring people together. Through Roll’d For A Reason, we’re proud to use that connection to support an organisation that gives so much back to our community.

This Friday, every person who chooses Roll’d Sylvia Park is helping raise awareness for an organisation that supports families through some of life’s most challenging moments. Better yet, regardless of the total raised on the day, Roll’d New Zealand has committed to donating $10,000 to Tōtara Hospice.

So whether you’re stopping by for lunch, dinner, a quick snack, or simply looking for a way to support a worthy cause, we’d love to see you at Roll’d Sylvia Park this Friday.

Together, we can help ensure Tōtara Hospice continues providing dignity, compassion and specialist care to the people and families who need it most.

– Roll’d Sylvia Park
– Friday 19 June
– All Day

Come and Roll’d For A Reason.

Serving More Than Good Food.