Donor Story: Cody Hunter

Cody Hunter was only three months old when he was diagnosed with a serious liver issue in 1994. To his parents’ shock he would require a liver transplant — and soon. In the 90’s a liver transplant was a relatively new procedure and these were not performed in New Zealand. Instead, young Cody would need to travel to Brisbane, and harder still, the family would need to fund the trip.

Now, this was well before websites like Givealittle or GoFundMe existed. With great generosity and led by the Timaru Host Lions, the South Canterbury community pulled together to raise funds for Cody’s medical costs. Through donation rallies, sausage sizzles, and raffles, close to $100,000 was raised.  It was enough to get Cody and his family on the plane to Brisbane. However, the surgeons made the decision that Cody did not require the transplant immediately as had been thought. So the Timaru Host Lions established a trust and invested the funds, with the intent that they would be available for Cody when a transplant was required in the future.

Years went by, and some of the funds were used to assist with other significant local South Canterbury needs. The fund helped with a liver transplant for a girl in Temuka; Cody’s mum Andrina is still in contact with that woman to this day. Funds were also donated towards the Timaru MRI Project in 2011, which the Aoraki Foundation was in charge of coordinating. When Cody eventually did need his transplant in 2016, 22 years after he was initially diagnosed with the issue, the fund helped pay travel costs and cover the family’s expenses so that Cody’s father could take time off work to look after him.

In 2018, after Cody’s successful and long-awaited liver transplant, the Timaru Host Lions Club decided it was time to pass on the responsibility of managing the trust. The Cody Hunter Fund at this time had grown to almost $400,000. Working with RSM Law’s David Forman who was involved with both the Cody Hunter Fund and the Aoraki Foundation, the Host Lions transferred the money into a new fund within the Aoraki Foundation.

The Cody Hunter Fund proudly carries on to this day. It continues to be invested for growth, and the returns are available for distribution with the aim of assisting anyone in South Canterbury with transplant costs. If there are not sufficient applications for the intended purpose, any remaining money is moved to the South Canterbury Health Endowment Fund, and this is distributed to the community for any needed health benefits.

Cody himself has just received a grant from the fund — as a consequence of the liver transplant he needs some important dental work done, and the fund will cover this. It is amazing to think that this money that was raised so long ago for one small boy will carry on looking after transplant patients for years to come.