Surgical robot: The future of cancer care
A new life-changing tool is within reach, but we need your help to bring it here. We’re fundraising for a world-class surgical robot that will transform surgery and cancer care for both our region and the central North Island.
Operated by skilled surgeons, this cutting-edge technology makes surgery safer, recovery faster, and lets people get back to their lives sooner. It’s proven to improve surgical outcomes and has been used across the globe more than 14 million times.
While they’re often used in New Zealand’s private health sector, currently there is only one surgical robot available in our public system, based up in Auckland. We want these benefits for our whole community, not just those who can afford private care, and we want it here by the end of 2026.
This tool is also becoming a benchmark for talented surgeons - by having one, we can help Palmerston North Regional Hospital attract and retain great surgical staff, strengthening our region’s healthcare workforce.
Safer surgeries & better cancer care
This project is clinician-led, recommended to the Foundation by the top medical team at Palmerston North Regional Hospital. It’s a way to improve surgical outcomes, shorten time spent in hospital, and reduce complications for patients. All of this will have a major ripple effect on our community, especially for the hundreds of patients who travel in for healthcare.
Right now, Palmerston North Regional Hospital’s cancer services support a massive population of 580,000 people. This includes patients from Palmerston North, Manawatū, Ōtaki, and Tararua, but also Whanganui, Wairarapa, Taranaki, and Hawke’s Bay. A surgical robot will have an enormous impact on the countless cancer surgeries happening every year.
A surgical robot is outside the scope of government funding, so Palmerston North Regional Hospital has turned to the Foundation for support.
Why do we need it?
Robot-assisted surgery is much less invasive than other methods. The benefits of it include:
More precise surgery with smaller cuts: Patients often recover faster, with fewer complications. This includes a lower chance that they’ll need blood transfusions, ICU care, or follow-up surgery.
Quicker healing with fewer wound infections: This means people spend less time in hospital, and can return to their whānau and daily life sooner. It lessens the impact on their finances, mental health, and wellbeing.
Supports a wider range of patients: It can be used on patients who may not be suitable for traditional surgical methods, from tiny infants to elderly patients. It will reduce inequalities in who can access treatment.
Faster surgery and patient care: It reduces operation time, frees up hospital beds, and, over time, is likely to reduce wait-list time due to fewer follow-up surgeries being needed.
Skilled staffing: It will improve recruitment and retention of staff, reduce training time for surgeons, and lower the chances of surgeon error.
Surgical robots can help with a wide range of procedures, including:
Urology: Cystectomy (removal of the bladder), prostatectomy (removal of the prostate), and partial or radical nephrectomy (removal of the kidney) - all of which are usually for cancer treatments.
General Surgery: Bowel operations, including cancer, spleen and gall bladder removal, and repairing different types of hernias.
Gynaecology: Hysterectomy, removal of tubes and ovaries, treating ovarian cysts, endometriosis surgery, and some procedures for fertility and incontinence issues.
Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT): Surgery to combat snoring, treatment of head and neck cancers.
Surgical skill meets robotic precision
What Dr Alberto Ramirez, Clinical Director of Surgical Services, has to say.
Surgical robots allow us to perform complex procedures with so much more precision. It magnifies what we’re seeing, highlights blood vessels and shows everything in a 3D view. It has no tremor, can do minuscule cuts and rotate tools 360 degrees, which human wrists can’t. The surgeon completely controls the robot; it doesn’t make its own decisions. It’s a tool, but like using tweezers instead of BBQ tongs, it's absolutely next level.
Our health sector is facing real challenges in recruiting surgeons, particularly in the regions. Having this tool will give a big edge in helping attract and retain great surgeons in Manawatū. We need to think long-term - right now, our country is seeing a massive drain with talented surgeons heading to Australia. Many of them have said that the lack of access to surgical robots in New Zealand is a major reason why.
But most importantly, we need this because major surgery has a big impact on a patient’s life and their wider whānau. Private care isn’t affordable for most people, so we need to make this accessible for our whole community. They deserve it, and it’s a way we can help so many different people.
Patient’s perspective - Milly’s story
At 47, a tonsil cancer diagnosis devastated real estate agent and devoted mother of twins, Milly Pivac. Within hours of her diagnosis, Milly began searching for answers. Another patient who had the same cancer recommended head and neck surgeon John Chaplin, who was experienced in robotic surgery. The downside, however, was that the robotic equipment he used was in Auckland.
What followed were months of repeated trips to Auckland for scans, appointments, two surgeries, and many follow-up checks. Each visit meant time off work, flights or long drives, accommodation costs, and nights away from her then-teenage daughters.
“At a time when most families want to stay close by and stay strong together, I had to travel away from mine,” she says. “We had to sacrifice and budget, and sometimes I had to go alone, even though I would have loved to have the support of my husband Tony with me. We had to navigate being apart, financial pressures, and the constant challenge of managing family life alongside cancer treatment.”
While the logistics were a nightmare, Milly says the technology allowed surgeons to remove the tumour through the mouth, leaving no large external incisions.
“It meant no visible scarring, less damage to surrounding areas, and my recovery was quick,” she says. “Knowing the surgery had been so precise also gave me enormous confidence in my recovery and future health.”
Today, Milly is cancer-free, which she credits to robotic surgery, but insists having access to it here in the region would benefit so many more families.
“If a surgical robot had been available here, we wouldn’t have had to sacrifice so much. It would have meant being close to home, with more friends and family to support us, without the financial hardship we endured.”
Let’s change lives
We want to bring this life-changing tool to our community by the end of 2026 and we need your help to achieve this.
This timeframe might seem daunting, but every donation, big or small, brings us closer to making this goal a reality. Are you with us?
How you can make a difference
Donations, business support, running your own fundraiser or tying us in with your upcoming events - there are so many ways that you can help. Our online donation portal is live, as well as a community fundraising kit, designed to make supporting this project easy.