Former child protection officer finds compassionate care at Stepping Stone Hospice
After spending years protecting vulnerable children, Amanda Coetzee is now receiving compassionate care at Stepping Stone Hospice. She hopes her story will encourage families not to fear Hospice care.
For most of her life, Amanda Coetzee dedicated herself to protecting vulnerable children.
As a child protection officer with Kuselo Child and Youth Care Services in Boksburg, she supported children facing abuse, violence and neglect, standing beside families during some of their most difficult moments.
Now, Amanda is receiving care herself after being admitted to Stepping Stone Hospice.
Amanda has been living with cancer since she was 18 years old. Over the years, the disease has spread through her body and is now affecting her nose and brain.
Despite her diagnosis, she describes her time at the hospice as an opportunity to regain strength and find peace.
“I see this as a recalibration. My mind is still too strong, and this is helping my body and mind come back into step with one another,” she said.
Stepping Stone Hospice founder and CEO Tersia Burger said Amanda is staying at the Hospice for two weeks while the team assesses the best way forward for her ongoing care.
“She will be the first to admit that walking through our doors was one of the things she feared most. Hospice is a word that carries a lot of weight, but from the moment she arrived, she experienced genuine warmth and compassion from every member of our team. She’s already told her family that she feels good here,” she said.
Having previously managed a non-profit organisation herself, Amanda understands the challenges charities face in securing financial support.
“Stepping Stone lets me be myself. I can smile when I want to smile and cry when I need to cry. It doesn’t feel like a place where people come to die. It feels like a place where people are allowed to fully live for however long they have.
“I want people to know that organisations like Stepping Stone only exist because someone chooses to fund a bed. The person in that bed today will be followed by another tomorrow, and another after that,” she said.
Amanda also had a heartfelt message for families considering hospice care for a loved one.
“Don’t be afraid. I know it’s frightening to place someone you love in someone else’s care, but they will be looked after with real warmth, laughter and tenderness. It’s truly a home away from home,” she said.
On behalf of herself and her family, Amanda thanked the staff and board of Stepping Stone Hospice for their care and support.
Those wishing to support Stepping Stone Palliative Care Services or find out more can email fundraising@steppingstonehospice.co.za or call 010 442 5059.
