After years in the making, Te Wao Nui, Wellington's new children's hospital, has officially been blessed and opened thanks to a generous $50 million donation from two Wellington philanthropists.
When it comes to hospitals, Markus Bain knows how to distract himself.
The nine-year-old from Porirua has Guillain-Barre syndrome which affects his nervous system and today was one of the VIPs checking out Wellington's new children's hospital.
Kitted out with brand new equipment, playrooms and even beds for parents to stay overnight with their tamariki, it'll help Kiwi kids from Hawke's Bay all the way down to Nelson when it opens in a little over two weeks.
Markus's mum, Karyn Bain, says the new facility is going to make a huge difference.
"From having seen him be cared for in many different environments, you see the difference that a purpose-built facility makes," she said.
She says it's a far cry from Wellington's old hospital.
“It was really noisy in the old children's wards, the plumbing made an awful noise, and the wind rattled everything.
“The curtains didn't fit the windows so it was really bright at night.”
The new building's walls, lined with brightly-coloured murals, were designed by Wētā Workshop founder Sir Richard Taylor.
The hospital has 50 inpatient beds and 101 outpatient beds.
It will provide care for babies and children up to the age of 16. Each room is fitted with a pull-out mattress so parents can stay too. There's even a dedicated play area.
It means families like the Bains, who had to travel to Auckland’s Starship Hospital for seven months for treatment, can stay closer to home.
"We just desperately wanted to be home, we wanted to be close to family," Bain said.
The new state-of-the-art building was made possible by fundraising and donations, including a $53 million gift from couple Mark Dunajtschik and Dorothy Spotswood.
The new building is named after the pair.
"Amazing, I only wish that my mum and dad could see it," said Spotswood.
Their next project, a similar amount being gifted to a mental health facility in Lower Hutt.
With one major surgery left in his journey, Markus says he’s looking forward to being closer to home for that and being distracted by some very comfy chairs.
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