In the past week radiation therapist Sara Kokaua has organised two fundraising efforts for the Unicef Samoa measles emergency fund, and there might be more to come.
On Saturday, with the assistance of the Southern District Health Board, Ms Kokaua sold car-parking space in the board’s Castle St car park to patrons attending the Dunedin Farmers Market, raising more than $1200 for the fund.
Yesterday, she organised hospital colleagues to join a Pacific Trust Otago campaign to wear red to work, which Ms Kokaua hoped would raise another substantial sum for The Helping Hands — an organisation working on the ground to help families in Samoa.
‘‘We were happy to support the Pacific Trust Otago initiative, and almost everyone donned red today.’’
There have been 76 measles-related deaths since Samoa's outbreak began; 126 people with measles are in hospital, including 17 children in intensive care.
Ms Kokaua, of Cook Island descent, is a member of the Pacific Women’s Collective, which she said had been discussing ideas of how to support the people of Samoa.
‘‘We weren’t happy with how Dunedin had been represented and our views towards what has happened because of the ODT cartoon, and we wanted a louder voice that represented how Dunedin felt.’’
More fundraising could be done next year, Ms Kokaua said. ‘‘... if there is more that we can do then we will.’’
Update: The campaign managed to raise nearly $2000 from Dunedin donations after the final count was completed on December 19.
