Have a heart this festive season with CHOC

The holiday season is a time of joy, gratitude and generosity, but also a time of challenge and hardship for many families affected by childhood cancer.

That is why CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation SA has launched two initiatives, the CHOC Solar campaign and the Home for the Holidays fundraising, and is inviting the community to join them in making a difference for these families this December.

“These initiatives are aligned with our vision of keeping more than hope alive for children with cancer and their families. Your generosity will give them a gift of light, love, and hope,” said CEO of CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation SA, Hedley Lewis.

Hope shouldn’t be the only light: The CHOC Solar Campaign

According to Hedley, childhood cancer presents an incredibly challenging path, one that is almost beyond comprehension. The idea of children and their families waking up and depending on battery-powered lanterns in such circumstances should also be inconceivable. Yet, in the face of our current challenges, this is the stark reality.

A 12-year-old girl named Lili aims to change this by raising sufficient funds to ensure that children her age or younger, who are undergoing cancer treatment at the CHOC Houses, don’t have to endure this. She firmly believes that by bringing light into their lives, we can be the light.

CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa is a non-profit organisation that provides care and support to children with cancer and their families. One of the services that CHOC offers is accommodation for out-of-town patients and their caregivers who need to travel to specialised treatment centres across the country. CHOC has 13 home-away-from-home facilities that offer a safe, comfortable, and homely environment for families during the lengthy and stressful cancer treatment phase. However, these facilities face the challenge of frequent power outages due to load-shedding, which affects the quality of life and comfort of the families.

To address this problem, CHOC launched a solar campaign to install solar panels at its accommodation facilities. The solar panels provide a reliable and sustainable source of power for the CHOC houses, ensuring that the lights stay on even during load-shedding. Solar power also reduces the electricity bills and the carbon footprint of the facilities, making them more environmentally friendly.

The campaign aims to raise R1.5 million to enable CHOC to light up some of their houses.

Home for the holidays

Hedley said the festive season brings a time of warmth, togetherness, and joy – a moment when families gather, and hearts overflow with gratitude and hope.

“It is a season of giving, a time when our souls resonate with the spirit of generosity and kindness. For many children, celebrating the holidays at home surrounded by their loved ones is a cherished idea. At CHOC, our mission is simple yet profound: To bring smiles to the faces of these young warriors by reuniting them with their families during this special time.

“We understand the significance of these moments and the hurdles many families encounter in making these reunions possible. Transport expenses can pose a substantial barrier, hindering the possibility of these children reuniting with their families during the holidays. That’s where we seek your support.

“Your generosity can transform the lives of these brave young souls. Your donation will help cover the costs of transportation, ensuring that these children, along with their caregivers, can journey home safely to spend precious moments with their families. It’s a gift of love, hope, and the creation of everlasting memories that these children will treasure for a lifetime.”

How to get involved

If you want to support the CHOC Solar Campaign you can visit the CHOC website here and donate online. If you would like to support our Home for Christmas Campaign please go here.

“Every donation, no matter how big or small, makes a difference and helps us bring light and hope to these children and their families. Thank you for your kindness and generosity. Together, we can make this holiday season a memorable one for these children and their families.”