Hell keeps doors open for Tourette’s Association

The Tourette’s Association of New Zealand (TANZ) and Hell Pizza have announced a 12-month sponsorship deal that will help ensure the charity can continue to provide the vital service it offers to Tourette’s sufferers and their families across the country.

In addition, Hell will donate $1 to TANZ for every double pizza sold over the week following the screening of a TVNZ documentary about Tourette’s scheduled for 26 June.

TANZ founder and executive director Robyn Twemlow is on a mission to have Tourette’s syndrome classified by the Ministry of Health as a disability rather than a lifelong chronic disorder – work that she is now able to continue thanks to the deal with Hell.

‘I have to say a huge thank you to Hell for stepping in and backing the organisation in this way,’ said Mrs Twemlow. ‘We were literally a couple of months away from having to close our doors.

‘A lot of people just associate Tourette’s with swearing and think it’s a bit of a laugh. For sufferers whose tics include spasms, hitting themselves, and in some cases even losing control of basic motor functions, it’s very debilitating and affects their independence. 

‘We’re one of the last countries in the western world that doesn’t recognise Tourette’s as a disability and we’re working with the Ministry of Health to change that. For people who are unable to work as a result of their tics, the current lifelong chronic disorder classification makes access to funding very difficult.

‘The Ministry is definitely open to having the conversation with us though, so we’re looking forward to a positive outcome.’

‘TANZ was founded four years ago to raise awareness and provide support. There is still a lot more work to do and this extra funding means we’ll be able to reach many more people than before.’

Backing the underdogs

Hell general manager Ben Cumming said that the current lack of support available to those dealing with Tourette’s was a key driver for the company step in, following its involvement with last year’s Camp Twitch – a retreat run by TANZ for Tourette’s sufferers and their families that Robyn describes as ‘a few days of not being different.’

Ben said, ‘As a team, we have a real passion for backing underdog causes and the guys who attended the camp came back wanting to do more to help.

‘We have committed to help TANZ in its mission to raise awareness and increase tolerance of what can be a really cruel and debilitating condition.

‘In the short term, we will be encouraging our legions of loyal customers to help boost our dollar donation drive for every double pizza sold in one week from 26 June.

Breaking down barriers

People suffering from Tourette’s face two major challenges – isolation and lack of public awareness. To help overcome those challenges, TANZ undertakes a range of initiatives from educating new medical professionals and teachers through to running Camp Twitch.

‘The camp is incredibly important for the personal development of the mostly young attendees,’ said Robyn. ‘At our first one in 2014, we had people in their twenties who had never met another sufferer – that’s a very long time to be isolated. With Hell’s support, we can now run the camp annually.’

Last year Hell founders Callum Davies and Stuart McMullin took a mobile Hell kitchen to the camp in Rotorua so that attendees could create their own masterpieces.

‘Those kids and their parents are just amazing,’ said Callum. ‘Hearing their stories was incredible; there wasn’t a dry eye in the whole camp.’

Documentary and donation

Camp Twitch is the subject of a documentary due to screen on 26 June at 8:30pm on TVNZ 2. In the week following the screening, Hell will donate a $1 from every double pizza sold to help fund this year’s camp.

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