First National partners with the National Burn Centre

First National Real Estate, A1 Coastal Mangawhai, is excited to announce its partnership with the National Burn Centre to help care for injured burns patients and their families from around New Zealand and the South Pacific.

First National A1 Coastal Mangawhai principal, Mike McGarry, said the partnership was a great way to give back to the community and support the lifesaving work the National Burn Centre does. This world class facility gives treatment and rehabilitation to both adults and children.

Burn and fire safety

First National’s Charitable Foundation has recently named the National Burn Centre as its prime beneficiary.

“This partnership is important to us because one of our clients, family members or friends may need this service at one time or another in their lives,” says Mike McGarry.

The National Burn Centre is a state-of-the-art facility and part of a larger burn care network with regional burn treatment facilities in Christchurch, Hutt Valley and the Waikato. The most critical burns patients from around New Zealand and the South Pacific are transferred to the National Burn Centre in Auckland for their acute medical and surgical needs.

“We are looking forward to being able to give back to our community in a meaningful way. As well as sponsorship at a national level, we are committed to help by donating time, money and man power at local events that support our focus on burn and fire safety,” says Mike.

“Families and their wellbeing is key to us. In real estate, we spend the majority of our time helping families go on a journey to find a dream home. It is through these experiences that our First National office, which is locally owned and operated, has become so invested in the health and wellbeing of our community.”

Engulfed in flames

Erik Molving thought he was a goner when his speedway saloon was engulfed in flames after a crash at a Whangarei speedway track in 2008.

It was a miracle that Erik survived after being trapped for more than a minute in the fireball. The Stanmore Bay man was in an induced coma for 40 days and on life support for three months at the National Burn Centre, where the country’s most severe burn patients are treated. He underwent more than 45 operations.

Four years on, Erik is thrilled First National Real Estate is donating four iPads, complete with Internet connections, to the National Burn Centre to connect patients and their families in times of distress. When he stayed in the centre – the only of its kind in New Zealand – he only had a telephone to communicate with his family.