Stories like this are why local healthcare matters. In this reflection, Dr Trevor Lloyd writes about Donny, a high country farmer, former All Black, and larger-than-life local character whose resilience on the land was matched only by his reluctance to admit pain. From quad bike accidents to kidney stones to critical infection, Donny’s story reveals something fundamental about rural medicine: care close to home is deeply personal.

In a region defined by distance, community, and rugged landscapes, healthcare looks a little different. For many people in Central Otago, the most important care they’ll receive doesn’t happen inside a hospital, it happens at home.

As Clinical Director at Dunstan Hospital, Dr Jonathon Wills leads with calm clarity and deep care. After a decade of service, he took a sabbatical to Rarotonga to explore renewal, balance, and purposeful leadership.

Each year, Dunstan delivers an expanding number of specialist services. Demand is growing rapidly, as People and Specialist Services Director Catherine Haig explains.

For more than a century, Dunstan Hospital has been caring for the people of Central Otago. Clinical Director Dr Jonathon Wills, shares how that legacy is evolving to meet the needs of a growing region.

As an oncologist working with patients across Otago and Southland, Dr Blair McLaren knows how difficult a cancer diagnosis can be, not just for patients, but for their families.