School caretaker’s cancer project sees trees wrapped in colour

BRIGHTLY-wrapped trees dottingg the Dirkie Uys Primary School premises have started a colourful conversation on cancer, due to the efforts of caretaker, Lourens van der Vyver.

The school caretaker wanted to raise awareness of the dreaded disease after caring for his father who was diagnosed with asbestosis and lung cancer with a life expectancy of six months. “He lived for another 29 months. I have lost a few family members who had cancer and I was privileged to be there to help them. Looking after my dad was one of the biggest challenges I have ever had. Along with my mom and sister I cared for my dad at home and on the 9 January 2013, he died.”

Van der Vyver realised more needed to be done to make people aware. “We shouldn’t just be talking about cancer for one day or one month a year. It should be something we talk about all the time, so more can be done to understand it, prevent it where possible and fight it.”

With the aid of school principal, Mrs Topka and grade three teacher, Mr Beyleveldt and pupils, Sadie Smith, Jason Myeni and Jemina Havenga, the trees in the school parking lot were wrapped in brightly-coloured material. “Each colour represents a different type of cancer, for example pink for breast cancer, orange for leukemia and blue for colon cancer.”

In conjunction with this, each class will make a poster to hang inside the school to make them aware and to create discussion. “The children were very curious from the beginning, and we told them what the project is all about and they have participated enthusiastically.”

In September, the school will commence with its second phase of the project, in which they hope to raise funds for cancer research and care. Keyrings will be sold to form the leaves of a tree in memory of loved ones lost to cancer. “People will be able to have the name of a loved one placed inside the keyring, which will represent a leaf on the tree, showing we are all connected and that we all face this at some point in our lives.

I challenge all schools to get their children involved and teach them cancer awareness. At the end of the day it affects everyone in the family when someone is diagnosed with cancer.”