A new charity is being set up to raise money for Canterbury's health system.
The main entrance of Christchurch Hospital Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
The Maia Health Foundation aims to raise just over $5 million by 2018.
The money will be used to fund an extension to the soon-to-be-built helicopter pad at Christchurch Hospital, so two helicopters can use it at the same time.
It will also pay for beds in the children's ward to allow parents to stay the night.
The foundation's chief executive, Michael Flatman, said establishing the charity would bring Canterbury into line with North Island hospitals that can already call on help from the likes of the Middlemore and Well foundations.
He said they were off to a good start with a $1.2 million donation from the Rainbow Children's Trust.