Tiny hands need big hearts
Christchurch's NICU Needs Your Support.
Every year, hundreds of babies need specialist care in Christchurch's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Some arrive early. Some arrive critically unwell. For many families, NICU begins without warning and becomes their world for weeks or months.
The current unit opened in 2005. Since then, demand has grown significantly. Population growth, changing demographics and increasingly complex births mean the unit is often caring for more babies than it was designed for. NICU is funded for 44 cots but regularly cares for 50 to 60 babies. In 2025 alone, 59 mothers were transferred out of the region due to capacity pressures.
Health New Zealand is investing $13.9 million in a major redevelopment of Christchurch Women's Hospital NICU. This redevelopment will increase capacity, improve clinical care and create a modern environment for the South Island's smallest and sickest babies.
Māia Health Foundation is raising $2.1 million through the Tiny Hands Need Big Hearts campaign to enhance the new NICU and make it a place that supports families as well as babies.
Your donation will help fund whānau lounges, overnight parent rooms, transition care spaces, privacy screens, comfortable recliners, artwork, a bereavement space, specialised training equipment and practical comforts that help families through some of the most challenging days of their lives.
As NICU Clinical Director Dr Bronwyn Dixon explains, "Comfortable, homely spaces and privacy matter when parents are facing some of the hardest days of their lives."
Together, we can ensure Christchurch's new NICU delivers not only world-class clinical care, but also the comfort, dignity and support every family deserves.
These babies are our future. Let's give them the best start.
We are proud to have Jason Gunn as our Ambassador. To get a glimpse into the incredible work we've already accomplished together, check out this video and to read more about our current project click here.
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Māia funded a $2m rooftop helipad and clinical unit at Waipapa, cutting emergency response time from 13 to under 5 minutes. In Greymouth, Māia supported the new Te Nīkau Hospital build, and in Christchurch, community support helped add two new ambulances to the city’s fleet.
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Māia raised $6m for Kahurangi, a youth mental health facility offering a warm, culturally safe space. At Christchurch Women’s, a ride-on car helps kids face blood tests with less fear, and the new Kurawaka birthing unit supports families in a calm, postnatal environment.
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New equipment means better care closer to home — from ultrasound services in Kaikōura, to needle-free dental tools for kids. Māia funded a neonatal training manikin, upgraded Burwood’s Spinal Unit with a $2m bequest, and delivered specialist chairs across hospital services.
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A $3.2m Family Hub at Waipapa now offers comfort and connection for families and sixty parent beds let caregivers stay overnight with children. Māia also supports family accommodation, online mental health videos, and sensory kits for whānau new to mental health care.
