Serve a plate of hope
FOURWAYS - Resident and owner of DLN Catering, Luke van der Merwe decided to make an unselfish decision to support the Care 4 Rare foundation.
Van der Merwe and his team will be sponsoring meals to support the Rare Disease Society of SA through the foundation.
“I was looking to support a charity organisation, and although I didn’t have the financial capacity to give a cash donation out of my own pocket, I thought there must be a method by which I could make a positive contribution to society and pay it forward,” he said.
Kelly Du Plessis, founder and chairperson of the society and foundation, explained that the aim of the programme is to ensure rare disease patients’ relatives receive nutritional meals so they have the mental and physical strength to care for their kin and themselves.
She explained how her son Juan, a Pompe patient, who was in hospital July this year, received great care and attention.
However, the rest of her family was neglected due to a hectic medical schedule and encouraged her to start the programme.
“Through this initiative, members of the public will be able to donate a sponsored meal to individuals affected by rare disorders and these meals will be transported to rare disease patients and their respective families in Gauteng,” she stated.
Van der Mere explained when he first met the du Plessis family, he immediately had a connection to the programme.
“We would like to make this Care 4 Rare project sustainable by encouraging the public to request that their family members and friends purchase meal vouchers on birthdays and other special occasions, instead of buying gifts and flowers so that we can continue to improve the quality of life of individuals affected by rare diseases,” commented Van der Merwe.
