Beekman responds to hospice’s needs
South Coast Hospice depends on the generosity of its community.
THE South Coast-based Beekman Group, a South African leader in the development and management of property and in the leisure industry, has responded generously to an appeal for help from South Coast Hospice.
For 30 years, the organisation has provided top quality palliative care for thousands of local patients suffering from life-threatening conditions like cancer, HIV/Aids, multi-drug resistant tuberculosis and motor neuron disease. When hospice wrote to the Beekman Group explaining its funding plight, the group responded with alacrity and compassion to ensure that hospice’s needs were met.
With the funding provided by the group South Coast Hospice has been able to upgrade the ‘quiet lounge’ used by patients’ families at Kingfisher House. This eight-bed inpatient unit provided inpatient care for 211 patients during the last financial year.
The Beekman Group donation was also used to buy a microwave for the day care centre kitchen. The centre is used for support group get-togethers, remembrance gatherings and the weekly volunteer meetings. It also allocates funding towards food parcels and medical care expenses.
The funding provided by the group has also been used to buy much-needed computers for South Coast Hospice’s Training Academy. During the last financial year, 285 students graduated from the academy. The trainers also offered 139 health workers in-service training opportunities. Courses offered by the academy include HIV counselling, an introduction to palliative care, bereavement counselling and home-based care.
“We now rely heavily on our community, which is most generous regarding donations. Businesses and corporates like the Beekman Group help us to sustain our essential health care programmes that our urban and our rural home-based care patients require. South Coast Hospice is ever grateful for the support and consideration from the Beekman Group and appreciates its commitment to aid us,” said CEO, Di van Dyk.
If you are interested in learning more about South Coast Hospice and the programmes it offers or if you would like to make a difference and support hospice with a donation or by any other means, contact Sonja Pye at 039 6823031.
