Pensioner’s charity drive to support Covid-19 healthcare workers
Wedderburn contracted Covid-19 in January this year and was in hospital for two weeks.
Renishaw Hills resident and retired metallurgist Bill Wedderburn (89) has begun a Covid Healthcare Workers’ Family Fund charity drive to raise funds for the families of healthcare workers affected by the virus.
The active senior citizen aims to walk 900km before his 90th birthday on June 9 next year, with a whopping 100km for every decade of his life. For every kilometre missed, Wedderburn will pay R10 into the fund.
Since he began this charity drive in late September, Wedderburn has already walked more than 90km and estimates that he should do 4km each day around the Renishaw Hills estate to meet his target in time. He has already managed to cover 5km a day so far.
Wedderburn contracted Covid-19 in January this year and was in hospital for two weeks.
He has a chronic kidney disease and is a prostate cancer survivor which made him high risk.
However, the medical team did whatever it could to ensure that he pulled through, and it is for this reason that he wishes to thank healthcare workers by doing this charity drive.
“I didn’t overcome Covid-19, it was the hard work done by the medical people at Netcare Kingsway Private Hospital.”
“I think they were fantastic. By all accounts I shouldn’t be here – considering my age and my comorbidities. Due to their good efforts, I’m still around and able to walk.”
While in hospital, he learned of the death of nurse Hlengiwe Mbeje (36) who died from Covid-19 just before he was admitted.
“It was tragic to me that someone so young had died looking after people she doesn’t even know. Wearing masks to keep free of the virus is important, but the N95 masks are only 95% effective.”
After being discharged from hospital in February, Wedderburn said he’s received endless support from Renishaw residents who’ve checked on him. With the assistance of home-based healthcare providers, and his carer, Happy Madondo, he was able to get moving again.
Wedderburn is working with a dedicated team for this charity drive which includes a practising surgeon, attorney, IT specialist and former Springbok captain Jean de Villiers. The Covid Healthcare Workers’ Family Fund will raise funds for the relatives of those who’ve died fighting the virus.
“I want to raise funds for the families of healthcare workers who have died from Covid-19. I also want to put together a collection of hero stories and messages of thanks and appreciation,” said Wedderburn.
Phil Barker of Renishaw Property Developments mentioned that Wedderburn is a true inspiration and stated that the estate will be supporting the cause and will contribute R10 for every kilometre Wedderburn walks.
“We also encourage others to contribute by sharing stories of healthcare heroes and donating to our healthcare families who have paid with their lives while saving others,” said Barker.
The Fund calls on South Africans to share their stories about the hero healthcare workers who got them through Covid-19 whether in hospitals, GPs or at local clinics.
These can be emailed to info@CovidHWFF.co.za. To find out more about Bill’s journey, the Covid Healthcare Workers’ Family Fund and how you can get involved, visit www.covidhwff.co.za or https://www.facebook.com/COVIDHWFF
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