In honour of International Childhood Cancer Day – celebrated annually on 15 February – the Tokai Lions Club surprised the little ones battling the dread disease at Tygerberg Hospital with some smiles and fluffy toys.
Spokesperson for the Tokai Lions Club, Mark Rossouw, says the little patients in Ward G3 and Ward G6 are all recovering from childhood cancer related procedures as well as orthopaedic procedures.
He says a donation was made to 50 children, some who are still battling the illness, and their little faces lit up as they received teddy bears and knitted blankets, donated by the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day NGO.
Rossouw says: “The motivation behind us reaching out to this specific ward is to commemorate International Childhood Cancer Day and to build on the relationship between the Lions Club of Tokai and the hospital.
“Some of the challenges these patients face are long-term recovery and treatment.
“The teddy bears and blankets were donated by an organisation known as 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day which we are so thankful for.
“It is heart-warming to see a child happy and some of the children in the ward have been there for a while now so we wanted to make the day special for them.”
The club first reached out to the hospital in 2023, and so far they have stocked up the playroom in Ward G6 with toys such as puzzles, dolls, books, as well as chairs.
Part two of the revamp involves the refurbishment of the entrance foyer to the ward and the final phase will incorporate the renovation of the hallway which will start soon.
According to the World Health Organisation, globally, approximately 400 000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer annually.
The South African children’s Tumour Registry reports 1000 new children and adolescents with cancer annually, but many are missed and do not receive treatment.
Early signs include a white spot in the eye or sudden blindness; lump on any place on the body, unexplained fever or weight loss; aching bones and easy fractures; and a change in behaviour, gait, headaches and regression in milestones.