40 Years of Caring
2026 marks a remarkable milestone — 40 years of Otago Community Hospice
Over this time thousands of patients and whānau have passed through the Hospice’s care, each carrying their own story of love and loss. Behind every patient are loved ones sitting quietly at bedsides, volunteers offering a meal or a kind word, and a community that continues to give, year after year.
What started as a day programme and a few beds in a repurposed house on George Street, now reaches deep into every corner of our region - from coast to coast, up to Waitaki and all the way down to Tapanui.
“We’ve gone from a dream, to something that’s part of the fabric of our community - something that belongs to all of us. That’s what 40 years of caring looks like”
Geoff Mirkin, Otago Community Hospice Trust’s first chairman and present board member