The Bone Marrow Cancer Trust is proud to announce Sir John Hansen, a leader with a distinguished record of service to New Zealand and beyond, as its new Patron.
Sir John succeeds Honorary Life Member, June Leeming, who is retiring after 32 years of service. June was instrumental in establishing the Trust in 1990, when its initial goal was to raise $1 million for a Bone Marrow Cancer Unit at Christchurch Hospital. From the outset, however, June and the other trustees had a broader vision.
The Bone Marrow Cancer Trust funds lifesaving, world-class cancer research and provides a home-away-from-home at Rānui House and Apartments for patients and families undergoing treatment at Christchurch hospitals.
Sir John says he is “honoured” to take on this role, which holds deep personal meaning for him.
In 2008, Sir John was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the judiciary. His career has spanned decades of leadership and public service, from the High Court bench to playing a major role in Christchurch’s earthquake recovery.
His path into law was not always planned. In his final year of school, he was caught sneaking off to watch a friend’s cricket trial. The headmaster, a cricket enthusiast himself, called him in and asked what he was doing the following year.
When Sir John replied, “I don’t know, maybe arts” the headmaster said, “No. You’ll do law.”
That unexpected intervention set him on a path that would shape the rest of his life.
After completing his law degree at the University of Otago, Sir John practised law in Dunedin before moving with his family to Hong Kong, where he served in the judiciary for 10 years.
In 1988, the Hansen family returned to New Zealand and Sir John was appointed a Master of the High Court, later becoming a High Court Judge. After 20 years in the New Zealand judiciary, he retired slightly early, ready to take on new challenges.
Sir John chaired the Red Cross Earthquake Appeal Commission, which distributed over $130 million in aid. He chaired Dunedin Venues, operator of the Forsyth Barr Stadium, and the Christchurch Stadium Trust responsible for the construction of the AMI Stadium. He has chaired the Press Council and the Rulings Panel for the Gas Industry and was previously an ICC Code of Conduct Commissioner and board member of New Zealand Cricket. He also served as Chair of the former Canterbury District Health Board.
Sir John’s later appointment on the board of the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust was personal, inspired by a close friend’s battle with blood cancer and the care she and her family received at Rānui House.
“We had a very close friend develop a blood cancer that she was treated for in the bone marrow unit. She spent a considerable period in isolation there, and her husband and family stayed at Rānui.
“Against the odds, she’s still with us, as bright and bouncy as ever. Visiting her during that time and seeing what people go through in that unit, the calmness with which they face terrible health situations, made a lasting impression on me.
“So, when I was asked to join the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust board, I saw it as an opportunity to give something back, for all the people who’ve been through Rānui and undergone treatment in Christchurch.”
Now as Patron, Sir John will work closely with Chief Executive, Mandy Kennedy, to advance all aspects of the Trust’s mission.
“We’re thrilled to have John as our Patron. He’s the right person to champion our mission. He brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of what it takes to build strong, resilient communities and we’re incredibly fortunate to have him supporting the future of the Trust,” says Mandy.
Sir John’s priority for the immediate future will be to help grow the Trust’s research fund. The goal is to support more research projects, including work by postgraduate students and clinicians in the field of blood cancers.
