About
Ranui
Who We Are
With a vision to cure and a mission to care, we are committed to providing a home away from home for patients and their whanau while they are undergoing lifesaving medical treatment for cancer, accidents and life-threatening illnesses.


Kaupapa / Purpose
From Gisborne in the north to Stewart Island in the South, seriously ill New Zealanders drive or fly hundreds of kilometres to Christchurch for life saving treatments such as chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants, heart surgery, difficult pregnancies, neonatal care, kidney transplants, dialysis, general surgery and a host of other serious illnesses.
Medical services for these conditions are not available in their cities or rural communities. They leave their whanau, friends, farms, workplaces, and communities for days, weeks and even months to undergo treatment at Christchurch Hospital.
Our History and Impact
Over the past 30 years, the trust has supported thousands and thousands of patients and families that have had to leave their homes for lifesaving medical treatment in Christchurch.
In 1990, the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust was established by founder Alison Nicol, with a group of haematologists and driven volunteers. Their purpose was to raise funds to establish the first bone marrow transplant unit in New Zealand to be based at Christchurch Hospital.
They set about raising over a million dollars for the transplant unit, and then began the journey of raising funds to purchase land for purpose-built accommodation for the families and patients traveling to Christchurch for lifesaving treatment.
In 1993, Ranui House was built (Little Ranui). It wasn’t long before Little Ranui was having to turn away families as the demand outstripped the availability.
A further $7 million was raised to extend Ranui House to build Big Ranui, increasing the available accommodation to 26 fully and semi contained apartments. But demand continues to exceed availability and Ranui House is still having to turn away 2 to 3 families per day.
In 2016, the trust took another bold leap and raised further funds to purchase a freehold block of land on Selwyn Street. Construction has begun on a new purpose-built home with 42 self-contained apartments (Ranui Apartments) to be completed by 2023.
The Trust funds life-saving and world-class cancer research through its annual grants programme.
One of the cornerstones of our vision is to ‘Cure and Care’. This drives our ongoing quest to find a cure for cancer.
The Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and Ranui House have been visited by world renowned transplant physicians, including Professor E. Donnall Thomas who received a Noble Prize for his work in developing bone marrow transplantation. Without exception they have declared the transplant and accommodation facilities to be the highest standard in comparison to similar facilities around the world. The Trust is proud of its achievements to date and will continue to actively support patients in need of this treatment from all areas of New Zealand.

Our Mission, Vision and Values
Our Mission
Caring for those with cancer and life-threatening illnesses by providing a home away from home and funding cancer research to find a cure.
Our Vision
Caring and Giving Hope
Our Values
- Aroha Tautoko (Compassion, Support, inclusiveness, and
empathy) - Tanga Manawa (Respite)
- Manawa ora (Hope)
- Uaratanga (Valuing people)
- Pahekoheko (Integrity)
- Taonga tuku iho (Our Heritage)
Our People
Meet the Ranui Board