Andrew Brown’s world changed in an instant when he collapsed while helping to unload food for his church’s food bank.

“I didn’t know anything. I just collapsed and apparently I died straight away because I had a cardiac arrest,” Andrew says.

He was rushed to ICU at Waitākere Hospital, where specialists worked to save his life.

Andrew’s son, Sheldon, says those days were filled with waiting, fear, and uncertainty – and having a comfortable place to stay close would have made an enormous difference.

“It wasn’t exactly comfortable. You got some random seats… a couple of magazines on a little corner table. It’s not exactly the greatest space in the world,” Andrew says.

“If there was a space where families could feel comforted, where they could actually feel a bit more at ease, that’s going to help a lot during a really hard experience.”

After three and a half weeks in intensive care, Andrew woke up. Sheldon says it was a miracle. “There was no medical evidence to prove that he should be alive,” he says.

Looking back, both father and son say their experience showed how important it is to have spaces for families to stay close when every moment matters.

“When you’re already feeling anxious, you’re feeling uncertain – the anxiety just increases,” Sheldon says. “I know my mum would have preferred to just be with him the whole time if she had the choice. She would have loved to be able to do that.”

“Having a kitchen and that kind of thing so there’s space and amenities and provision – that would also be brilliant.”

That’s exactly what the new Waitākere Hospital Intensive Care Unit will make possible. The government is funding the new ICU itself – but we’re asking the West Auckland community to help fund family spaces and extra touches that make a hospital feel more human.

These enhancements include comfortable whānau rooms for rest, prayer and reflection, a family lounge and kitchen, paediatric provisions, and advanced healthcare within the unit.

As Sheldon says, “You don't want to go through these moments in isolation, you want to be able to get through it together with family. There's strength in numbers.”

Donate today and help fund family spaces at Waitākere Hospital Intensive Care Unit, so West Auckland families can stay close to loved ones receiving critical care.