Letter: Hospice Wits’ heart
Gratitude is expressed to Hospice Wits in Orange Grove for extending their hand and giving towards helping babies who survived horrendous Johannesburg fire.
Community member Caroline Carter writes:
On August 31 at around 01:30, a fire engulfed an illegally occupied, abandoned government-owned building in Johannesburg.
Seventy-seven people were killed, and 88 others were injured. It was one of the deadliest fires in South African history.
When a friend of mine, Sister Jenny, appealed to our community for help on behalf of the victims staying at various shelters, we rallied together to get supplies like clothes, blankets, children’s clothing, stationery, toys and supplies for babies together, to assist as many of the victims as possible.
Going into the Hofland Park Community Centre in Bezuidenhout Valley, we quickly realised that our meagre contributions were not nearly enough. Hundreds of people had lost everything, even their IDs.
And the babies – seeing their mothers looking utterly helpless when it came to a simple place for their babies (ranging from newborn to 18 months) to sleep was heart-wrenching. Having bought a pram and some baby clothes from the Hospice Wits Charity shops, one of the community members asked if they had any beds or cots to donate.
I knew it was a long shot. Hospice Wits relies solely on donations for their survival. They have quite enough to contend with, given the palliative care they provide with kindness and passion for patients with a limiting or life-threatening illness from the time of diagnosis, celebrating the patient’s life.
However, at the very time when I decided to be bold enough to ask cashier Nomfundo Dhlamini and financial administrator Rutendo Tsikayi for assistance, the CEO of Hospice Wits Jacky Kaye happened to be visiting the Orange Grove branch.
All three ladies had explained to me that the chances were slim, given that Hospice relies on donations themselves, which is understandable.
However, much to my surprise, a few days later, I got an email from Kaye to say, “We put together medium-sized changing mats, with linen, a swaddle blanket and a small blanket for each of the four babies. The changing mats can be used as a small sleeping mattress for each baby. I hope that these will be useful for the babies.”
I am blown away that, given their difficult circumstances, Hospice Wits found it in their hearts to help the babies that survived the trauma of a horrendous fire and alleviate some of their mothers’ stress.
Hospice Wits, your heart has humbled me.
No end to caring.
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