For the last seven years Rob Smith has used a hyperbaric chamber to help ease the symptoms associated with motor neurone disease.
The 68-year-old New Zealand Army veteran was diagnosed in 2013 and while he could not afford the $33,000 machine by himself, he had help raise funds to import one from the United States.
He could no longer use it and wished to donate the chamber.
His wish was published last month in the Otago Daily Times and Southland Express and Rob Smith received inquiries from people wanting to know if it could help them or their loved ones.
The chamber has been given to a young man who also has motor neurone disease, and the couple have been promised it will again be regifted when he is no longer able use it.
Mr Smith and his wife Jan had originally asked if the Southern District Health Board had wanted it.
Southern DHB Women’s and Children’s Medicine general manager Simon Donlevy said it was an exceedingly generous offer.
"We understand they had used the equipment to assist Rob with his MND and found it to be beneficial."
He explained the therapy was the provision of oxygen at high pressures, used particularly for decompression sickness.
"However, the hyperbaric chamber that was offered to Southland Hospital only provides mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
"This means that the pressure that the chamber can reach is not high enough to be considered for hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the clinical setting. So while we recognise and thank them for their very generous offer, it is not equipment that we could consider using for treatment in a hospital setting."
