Ten Children Head to Queenstown on Cure Kids Ticket to Hope

March 21 2006: Ten young children, suffering from a variety of life threatening illnesses have been selected to take part in Ticket to Hope in Queenstown this weekend (March 24-26)

The event is supported by Cure Kids key partner Crane Distribution NZ Ltd and the Daytrippers Trust.

Crane raised $266,000 for Cure Kids in just a month last year when branches of all its companies around the country participated in a 'Super Hero for Cure Kids' fundraising venture. The majority of the funds raised have been donated for medical research into children’s illnesses, with the remainder sponsoring the Ticket to Hope weekend.

Children representing the regions where the Crane companies raised the money have been selected to visit Queenstown. They will each be accompanied by one parent. Fourteen-year-old Daniel McKay who suffers from an inherited heart disease represents the Queenstown region.

Eight staff from Crane Distribution will also be part of the weekend. They were nominated by their colleagues for 'going the extra mile' during the ‘Super Heroes’ campaign.

Two television personalities from the Shortland Street series, Amanda Billing who plays Dr Sarah Potts and Laura Hill who is Nurse Toni Warner, are joining the children for the weekend and will be involved in all their activities.

Cure Kids South Island Funding Manager Josie Fitzgerald says it will be a holiday of a lifetime experience for the young children.

“It is a fantastic chance for the children and their parents to leave their hospital treatments and medication behind for a weekend and throw themselves into the action packed programme. It’s always exciting to see their reactions and we have some great activities planned. It will be exciting for them to have the Shortland Street Stars along.”

Ms Fitzgerald says Queenstown businesses and companies have been incredibly supportive offering excursions on the vintage steamer, the TSS Earnslaw, rides on the Kawarau Jet, Skyline Gondola trips and luge riding. They will also experience a jaunt on land and on the lake on The Duck.

The children and their parents will stay in the award winning Grand Mercure St Moritz Hotel and will be hosted by Queenstown restaurants, including McDonald's Restaurant, during the weekend.

She says a visit from Cure Kids ambassador Shrek will be a highlight and the children will also make chocolates at Patagonia Chocolates in Queenstown.

This is the second Ticket to Hope held by Cure Kids and Ms Fitzgerald says she expects it be every bit as successful as the first event last year.

“It made such a huge impact on the young children, they are still writing to us about it. We know it is a winning formula, where the weekend is all about the children, and hopefully we will bring another 10 children to Queenstown on another Ticket to Hope later in the year.”

For further information: Josie Fitzgerald 027 221 4334