Action to support retaining neurosurgery services in Dunedin has been a family affair for Bayfield High School staff member Viv Hepburn and her two daughters at the school.
After reading Saturday's Otago Daily Times launching its campaign to keep the service in the city, Mrs Hepburn said she could not believe that consideration would be given to removing such a service to the city.
It was not only the fact it would be removing a service which saved lives, but the impact on the city and its university - a " leading light" in terms of medicine and research - which concerned her.
This week, Mrs Hepburn sent out an email to the school's staff, between 60 and 70 people, advising them she had the ODT forms to send to Health Minister Tony Ryall on the issue.
When the family discussed the issue, her two daughters Jess (15) and Sarah (14), members of the senior and junior school councils respectively, decided they would like to get pupils involved in signing a petition.
Mrs Hepburn, who is the principal's personal assistant, said her family had not experienced the need for neurosurgery, but had heard the stories of others and wanted to support the drive to retain services.
She had received about a dozen forms to post and expected more by the end of the week.
Other staff were keen to write their own letters to the minister.
Mrs Hepburn said it would be good if other schools' staff got behind the campaign, too.
- Is your business or organisation joining the campaign? Tell us about it: editor@odt.co.nz
