Equity for Illness

equity-for-illness Charitable Trust

equity-for-illness

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About Us

Our Aim

Our aim is to see the Ministry of Health funding brought into line with current ACC entitlements: creating a non-discriminatory, needs-focused health delivery ; regardless of the cause.

To do this we aim to achieve the following:

to publish our strategy of core issues and goals on the website.
to define the people championing and involved with administering the cause.
to keep the website posted with up-to-date progress reports; access to media sites displaying newspaper, television news, documentary, radio interviews and links to related websites.
to publish any issues or constraints being encountered.
to publish and receive corporate sponsorship.
to organize effective lobbying so MP’s from all political parties realize we are a body who are not going away until this is resolved.
to allow people to submit their ideas.
to run an on-line partition for supporters.
to advise people what they can do to support the cause; e.g. send an email postcard to related government departments; ring radio Talk-back radio, write to Letters to the Editor.
to attract influential people to act as trustees on the Charitable Trust.
to raise funds through a Charitable Trust for the ongoing legal and other related costs required to pursue this claim through all appropriate legal channels.
to develop a database; providing a template-driven newsletter for people who express an interest in the cause.

Our Goals

To publicize Melanie Trevethick’s claim to the Human Right’s Commission thereby raising public awareness of the issue. We are committed to the belief that every New Zealander deserves to understand the financial implications should they develop an illness. Experience tells us this understanding often comes too late to save a family from not only emotional turmoil on diagnosis but extreme financial hardship.
To raise funds through the equity-for-illness Charitable Trust for the ongoing legal and other related costs required to pursue this claim through all appropriate legal channels. We will publish corporate sponsorship, define the people championing the campaign and provide up-to-date progress reports; access to media sites displaying newspaper, television news, documentary, radio interviews and links to related web sites, and run an on-line petition for supporters.
To provide an opportunity for people to partake in an organized campaign: to petition the Minister of Health and other Members of Parliament by way of an email postcard, ring radio Talk-back radio, write to Letters to the Editor. We will encourage people to submit their ideas through the web site. As an organization we will lobby MPs from all political parties until they realize we are not going away until this is resolved.

Our Champions

Melanie Trevethick has Multiple Sclerosis and has led the campaign for change since 2003. "I believe it is our birthright as New Zealanders to live in a society where equality is the cornerstone on which government practice is based. Health and disability legislation currently promotes active discrimination against New Zealanders. It is my intention to see this changed."

Grant Harrison is a cancer patient, and is married with children. Through his illness he has become very aware of the lack of support for people in New Zealand who suffer from serious illness. His desire aside from beating cancer is to see all New Zealanders receive equitable health care and support.

John Miller was voted Wellingtonian of the Year in 2002 for his work representing people previously rejected by ACC. His record of success and knowledge of disability case law is legendary, both within New Zealand and internationally. Previously a Senior Law Lecturer at Victoria University Law School, he is a man driven by the altruistic belief in providing legal representation at reasonable cost to the individual. We are enormously grateful for his commitment to our cause.