Assisting young burn victims through quality healthcare
Jacaranda FM’s own Sascha van Gelder reached out to Good Morning Angels to assist Pediatric Care Africa's Burns Unit - a project that is very close to her heart since her own son was a burn victim at only 18 months old.
Winter is coming and with it, the need for warmth. For many South Africans, this means fires, paraffin stoves and heaters, which increase the danger of burns and injury - especially for children.
In Mpumalanga, there is currently no paediatric burns unit at a state facility, to cater for young burns patients whose parents cannot afford private health care, but this is about to change!
The Lowveld-based NPO Pediatric Care Africa has been raising funds and putting in the hours and skills to set up a paediatric burns unit next to the paediatric surgery unit at Rob Ferreira Hospital in Mbombela.
READ: Baby Aylah gets Angel help to mend her heart
"All Children have the absolute right to a healthy life. Everyone should have access to health care, without financial, social, cultural or geographical barriers,” says Dr André Hatting, founder of Pediatric Care Africa.
Dr Hatting has designed or built 12 hospitals in different parts of Africa, so he knows what is needed and how it should be done. However, this is a self-funded project, that they have been able to mostly complete. They are still in need of a few key items, like specialised steel baths and glass doors, to prevent bacteria and germs from reaching future vulnerable patients. They also need funding for consumables and rehab of little patients.
That's why Jacaranda FM’s own Sascha van Gelder reached out to Good Morning Angels on behalf of this project, which turns out to be very close to her heart...
Watch the full episode here:
REQUEST FOR: Pediatric Care Africa’s Burns Unit at Rob Ferreira hospital, represented by Dr André Hattingh
REQUEST FROM: Sascha van Gelder
ANGEL: The Good Morning Angels Fund NPC
SPONSORING: The Good Morning Angels Fund will assist Paediatric Care Africa with R100 000 towards completing the paediatric Burns Unit at Rob Ferreira Hospital and to providing vital care to children in need.
READ: Assisting a widower from Pretoria after he lost his hearing
ORIGINAL REQUEST:
Hi, Good Morning Angels
I hope this email finds you well.
A story I don't share often is that my son burnt his feet when he was just 18 months old. He had to spend 12 days in hospital and go into surgery 4 times. All the while wanting to be a toddler but not being able to walk because any tiny infection could mean more surgeries and possible amputation. I was extremely fortunate to have medical aid at the time, but still had to pay close to R20 000 for plastic surgeons and anaesthetists. The entire time, and still today, when I look at his feet, I am grateful that I could take him somewhere for the specialised care that he needed, but it also makes me think about the amount of children that get burnt daily but cannot get or afford that care because there is not any public hospital in the Lowveld area that can assist them. Which means most are sent home and often suffer serious complications.
Pediatric Care Africa, an amazing NPO, and a doctor in the area, Dr Elliot Motloung, are in the process of developing a paediatric burn unit on the second floor of the Rob Ferreira hospital. They are hoping to open the unit on the 19th of April. They have had some amazing donations and people who are giving up their time to set up and paint. They do, however, need funding for 2 stainless steel baths. These are vital as burn victims cannot bathe in normal baths. One bath costs around R50 000. They also need to pay for plumbers and electricians, and the swinging glass doors that will isolate the unit and prevent infection.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for your consideration in helping Pediatric Care Africa in its quest to bring free medical care to all.
Kind regards
Sascha van Gelder
Tune in to the 'Breakfast with Martin Bester', weekdays from 06:00 - 09:00. Stream the show live here or download our mobile app here.
Listen to Jacaranda FM:
- 94.2
- Jacaranda FM App
- http://jacarandafm.com
- DStv 858/ OpenView 602
Follow us on social media:
Image: Jacaranda FM