Opening of the Sir John Staveley Library

May I begin by greeting everyone in the languages of the realm of New Zealand, English, Māori, Cook Island Māori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language.

Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and as it is morning (sign).

May I then specifically greet you: Anne Urlwin, Chair of the New Zealand Blood Service and your fellow board members: Fiona Ritsma, Chief Executive of the Service and your fellow management and staff - particularly Ray Scott, National Manager Technical Services; you Tessa Duder and John Staveley, daughter and son of Sir John Staveley and other family and friends; Distinguished Guests otherwise; ladies and gentlemen.

It was with great pleasure that my wife Susan and I have accepted the invitation to the opening of the Sir John Staveley Library here at the New Zealand Blood Service in Auckland.  The library is named in honour of a well known and respected Auckland doctor who died three years ago aged 91 and who more than 50 years ago founded the Auckland Blood Transfusion Service, which is the forerunner of the current national organisation.  “Jock” Staveley (as he was known) championed transfusion medicine in New Zealand, and his work became known and admired internationally.
 
I have been asked to formally open the Library, and before doing so I would like to speak briefly about the significance of today’s gathering.

One of my tasks as Governor-General to write to New Zealanders who have made 100 or more donations to the New Zealand Blood Service.  I believe it is important for Governors-General to acknowledge and support their generosity in the interests of the general community and their contribution to the day-to-day working of our health system.

I have personally benefited from the generosity of New Zealand’s blood donors during heart surgery and a hospital stay after a serious road accident in 2002.

My connection with health, disability and wellbeing has widened since my appointment as Governor-General in August 2006.  The Governor-General role means being, with my wife Susan, Patron of about 150 organisations, many of which have a focus on health – from the Arthritis Foundation to the New Zealand AIDS Foundation and the New Zealand Organisation for Rare Disorders.  As a working lawyer, Judge and Ombudsman, I was involved with many medico-legal issues, such as the Confidential Forum for Former In-patients of Psychiatric Hospitals. I also come from an Auckland medical family: my father was a suburban GP for many years and my mother a Karitane nurse before marriage.  My father was a 1938 graduate of the Otago Medical School, and “Jock Staveley” was always warmly mentioned as a respected colleague.
 
So, from the perspectives of patient, professional and family – I have long appreciation of the work undertaken by those in the health sector.  I acknowledge the commitment that New Zealand health professionals display in their work and particularly the dedication of the New Zealand Blood Service staff. 

Sir John Staveley was dedicated to his profession as a physician and haematologist, but also had the foresight and energy to lead New Zealand to a new level in transfusion medicine.

Strangely, it was experience of war that awoke Jock Staveley’s interest in blood transfusion, and eventually led to New Zealand’s exemplary blood service. Staveley went on active World War II service after post-qualification work as a medical officer at the then Auckland hospital.  He was awarded the Military Cross in 1941 for the bravery he showed in continuing to treat casualties while under heavy fire – and was himself badly wounded.  Two years later, in 1943, he was appointed to command the New Zealand Field Transfusion Unit.  He was so impressed with the results of blood transfusions carried out in the field that he formed the determination to dedicate himself to that field.

Blood transfusions can be life-saving, for example after massive blood loss due to trauma, and to this layperson’s mind comes the term “lifeblood”.  Transfusions can also replace blood lost during surgery, or treat blood diseases such as anaemia.  Sir John’s work in the middle decades of the last century burgeoned as other medical developments – such as open heart surgery – created a growing need for blood and blood products.

In 1979 John Staveley was knighted for his services to medicine and blood transfusion in New Zealand. His activities had caused New Zealand’s work in transfusion medicine to be known, and admired around the world.  When he retired, Sir John served as medical director of the Blood Foundation of New Zealand for ten years, and as Patron of the Haemophilia Foundation. And I am told that on his 90th birthday he made a visit to this building.

Sir Winston Churchill once said: ‘We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give,’.  This was clearly the way Sir John lived his life – in the service of others, with great generosity.  This library will stand as an ongoing memorial to the Staveley vision and Sir John’s dedication in achieving it.  There is something else deserving mention and that is Sir John’s family, and in particular his son John Staveley and daughter Tessa Duder, for their generous provision of Sir John’s books and other memorabilia to the library here.

So on a note combined of respect and congratulation to a fine New Zealander and his family, I will close in our country's first language, Māori, by offering everyone greetings and wishing you all good health and fortitude in your endeavours.   

No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tēnā koutou katoa.