Type-1 Diabetes fundraiser yields lost money

A local five-year-old Type-1 Diabetes sufferer who was supposed to be the recipient of a Denim Day fundraiser, has still not seen a cent of the money which was raised for him during the fundraiser last year.

Amelia van Rhyneveld, fundraiser of the project for little Reuben Duvenhage, told the News that she has been in contact with Diabetes South Africa since August last year.

Denim Day is based on the project that Diabetes South Africa, a non-profit organisation, started to raise awareness for Diabetes. Diabetes SA sells R10 stickers in exchange for wearing jeans to work.

Amelia sold Denim Day stickers on 24 July last year in support of Reuben and Diabetes SA’s initiative.

“R5 will go to Diabetes South Africa and the remaining R5 towards Reuben,” Amelia said last year.

About R2 500 was raised on the day which Amelia nor Reuben’s parents have not seen since then.

The News has tried to contact Diabetes SA for their comment on various occasions, but to no avail. On their website, however, the organisation speaks of a fundraiser on 14 November, which is World Diabetes Day, where R8 goes toward the organisation and R2 towards the school that held the fundraiser.

Amelia however said that the reason for the early fundraising, 24 July 2015 and not on the National Diabetes Day was because “the family needed the money urgently for their medical costs. Diabetes SA agreed to fund R5 towards Reuben but till now he did not received any funds.”

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