Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust prepares for its new home

The Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust is the only brain injury charity of its kind in the South Island, and one of just three across the nation. This year marks the start of an exciting chapter, as the Trust begins the process of building a new Christchurch campus.  

In 2021, the Trust purchased an empty plot of land that had once been home to Marian College. Last month, patients and staff teamed up with Avon-Ōtākaro Network environmentalists to plant natives along the nearby stream. It was the first of many planned plantings, and an opportunity for future residents to make the land their own.  

The new ‘One’ campus will be equipped to provide 24-hour care for up to 30 adults. It will include up to four studio flats for patients awaiting surgery, as well as gym facilities such as a sports court and hydrotherapy pool. 

In a recent statement, the Trust acknowledged the need to find $20 million through donations for the project to be a success. It is reliant on the generosity of Kiwis, as it attempts to keep up with the needs of the community.  

Dominique Leeming, Fundraising Leader, says the Trusts work is vital and has outgrown its old facilities.  

“What was appropriate for the people who needed residential help back in the 1970s is quite different to today.” 

She is surprised that so few people are aware that Brain Injury is so common.  

“Once every 15 minutes, somebody in New Zealand suffers a traumatic brain injury. Now, the degree of severity varies, but each year more people are diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury than with cancer in our country.” 

For many, the recent planting was the first step in the right direction. It gave patients the opportunity to make the place their home and install beautiful native trees that will attract bird life as they grow. 

While the building timeline isn't cemented, the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust is one step closer to providing further lifesaving care to those who need it.