Umduduzi honours its angels
Umduduzi - Hospice Care for Children honoured what the organisation calls its angels, people who have helped make their job a pleasure.
UMDUDUZI – Hospice Care for Children held its second annual Angels Breakfast at Durban Botanic Gardens on Tuesday.
The breakfast event is held to promote work done by the NPO, and to honour and celebrate what the organisation calls its angels, people who have helped make their job a pleasure.
Speaking at the breakfast, founder and social worker for Umduduzi, Tracey Brand, said it was wonderful to see old friends and some new faces, who were to be introduced to the wonderful work Umduduzi was doing.
Dr Julia Ambler, founder of Umduduzi, called up ‘angels’ Sue Turner from Reach For A Dream and Doris Cele and Mbuso Khuboni from Clairwood Hospital ward C2, to present them with certificates of appreciation for the work they do.
Guest speaker at the event was well-known consumer journalist, Wendy Knowler.
Wendy spoke about her brother, John, who died at the age of two, and said her family never really dwelt on the loss.
“Thirty-three years later I had a son who I called John and at 11 months old he ended up being admitted to hospital with bronchiolitis. My mother visited and she just couldn’t cope, and for the first time she spoke about John’s death, as if she thought my son was going to die. I feel at the time of my brother’s death, she didn’t get the help she needed, unlike the parents who are helped by Julia and Tracey,” she said.
Wendy spoke about an article written by a professor who said helping others was a selfish act, as it made you feel good.
“This is an extreme way of putting it, especially for Julia, Tracey and their team, as what they do takes this selfishness to another level. They work tirelessly even though the children in their care are terminally ill. I salute the people of Umduduzi and what they do, and the people here today who make it possible for them to do the work they do,” she said.
A moving video was shown to those present, highlighting the work of Umduduzi, which was followed by an auction to raise funds for the NPO.
To find out more about Umduduzi, visit www.umduduzi.co.za
