An 11-year-old former refugee who has been suffering with dental abscesses, is smiling once more following free dental surgery supplied by Braemar Charitable Trust and one of its long-term trustees.
Aisha, one sibling and her parents were accepted into New Zealand and arrived here in 2024 under the country’s quota refugee resettlement programme. New Zealand prioritises former refugees who have medical needs such as Aisha, who lives with Down Syndrome.
Aisha has suffered with many repeated dental abscesses and cavities. And although she was classified as needing urgent care when she moved to Hamilton, the pressure on the public health system means she faced a long wait for surgery.
Nicola Syrett-Nyika is a Clinical Nurse Specialist for Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora. She’s based in Hamilton and works in refugee health. Nicola referred Aisha to Braemar Charitable Trust’s Community Surgery Programme for help.
“Aisha was assessed last July as needing urgent dental treatment, requiring a general anaesthetic, but she is one among many needing help. Through the great support of Braemar Charitable Trust and specialist paediatric dentist Katie Ayers, Aisha had surgery recently and is recovering well. Having this surgery is life-changing and will have a significant impact on her health and wellbeing.”
Braemar Charitable Trust is the 100% owner of Braemar Hospital which is one of the largest private hospitals in New Zealand. The Trust’s vision is to advance healthcare equity and access, and it undertakes a variety of charitable activities to achieve this including free community surgeries, scholarships, health training and funding medical research.
The Trust’s wide range of free community surgeries are delivered by surgeons and anaesthetists who are credentialed to work at Braemar Hospital and want to donate their time. The Trust pays for other costs including nursing and consumables. It also works closely with dentists and dental groups who give their time, free, to help those in need.
Trust Manager Paula Baker says specialist paediatric dentist Katie Ayers is a long-term supporter of Braemar Charitable Trust’s work through donating time and as a board member for the Trust and also Braemar Hospital. “Katie is magnificent and helps many, many children through donating hours of her time at no charge. She was more than happy to help Aisha, and she was supported by a fellow Trustee, Aidan O’Donnell, who is an anaesthetist and who also gives generously of his time.”
Ms Baker says these trustees and many other specialists who work at Braemar Hospital, help the Trust deliver on its vision of enhancing equitable access to health.
The Trust collaborates with Te Whatu Ora plus a range of organisations who are at the frontline with those in need, including Nightshelter, Women’s Refuge, emergency housing providers, and refugee services.
“We are so pleased to be able to help Aisha and her family with this dental surgery and we know it will be life-changing for her. Good dental health makes a huge difference in people’s lives and we hope this free surgery will enable Aisha to live her best life.”
People wishing to support Braemar Charitable Trust’s work can donate via a new online donations portal. Donors can pay for a specific surgical procedure as part of the Trust’s Community Surgery Programme, or make donations towards scholarships, research or a general fund. Find out how here.
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Caption: Aisha with her mum Qaali before Aisha went into her free dental surgery thanks to Braemar Charitable Trust and Specialist Paediatric Dentist Katie Ayers.
