A brighter chapter starts for child burn victims in the Northern Cape
6 December 2019
A new chapter started this week in the recovery treatment of child burn victims in the Northern Cape with the unveiling of the completed first phase of the refurbishment of the specialised burn unit at Kimberley’s Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital.
The state-of-the-art paediatric section in the unit is the only facility of its kind in the entire Northern Cape region, which covers South Africa’s largest province by land area. Many of the more than 3,500 children who suffer serious burn injuries around the country each year are treated here.
The renovation and upgrading of a much more child-friendly ward where children with burn injuries are helped with their physical and psychological recovery, was made possible with funding from the Signature of Hope Trust (SOHT) in partnership with the Smile and Avela Foundations.
These two foundations do vitally important work with the country’s academic hospitals. The Smile Foundation provides corrective facial reconstructive surgery and treatments for children living with facial conditions and the Avela Foundation helps children with burn injuries on their road to physical and psychological recovery. The SOHT is the corporate social investment partner of leading South African wealth management firm, Carrick Wealth.
Present at the unveiling ceremony were Moira Gerszt (Operations Director Smile Foundation), Marc Lubner (Smile Foundation Executive Chairman and Co-founder), Hedley Lewis (CEO of Smile), Professor Etienne Theron, Cami Palomo (Avela Foundation CEO) and Julie McKey, who represented Carrick Wealth and the SOHT.
A core aim of the first phase of the refurbishment project was to create a sanctuary within the unit for children with burn injuries, a place where they would feel safe and accepted in a kind of ‘wonderland’ inspired by the books written by Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr Seuss. This is an important element in the child burn victim’s psychological recovery.
Prior to the refurbishment this part of the burn unit was a dark and dingy space. Before 2005 it was much through the efforts of Professor Etienne Theron and after 2005 through those of Dr Maria Giaquinto-Cilliers, current Head of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, that the plight of the unit and the children treated there came to light and efforts were started to have it renovated and refurbished. As the state lacked the funds for such a project, the two foundations and SOHT, in conjunction with Carrick, became involved. This resulted in the transformation of this section in the child burn unit into a fun and engaging sanctuary of international standard.
“This unit at the RMS Hospital in Kimberley is witness to more than its fair share of heart-wrenching tales of children whose lives have been dramatically affected by burn injuries,” said SOHT chairman Craig Featherby who is also the founder CEO of Carrick Wealth.
“The unit, however, is also the scene of immensely inspiring tales of children showing exemplary courage and determination to recover and carry on with their lives, and of the totally dedicated and committed medical staff who assist them. I am humbled by the fact that, even if only a small drop in the bucket, SOHT and its two partners have been able to help make a difference for the better in the treatment and lives of these children and the work of the medical staff.”
In December last year the SOHT held its inaugural Signature of Hope Gala Dinner in Cape Town at which almost R1 million was raised for the burn unit refurbishment project. Those funds were then handed over to the Smile Foundation and the Avela Foundation, who instructed architects and builders, with refurbishing work having commenced in May this year.
Child burns are largely preventable, yet Africa carries a tremendous burden of burn-related injuries that can have devastating consequences. Most child burn patients are admitted with scald or contact burns caused by everyday items such as irons or ovens. More severe burns are caused by open flames, while children that are too young to react often perish in residential fires that affect mostly informal settlements.
“The Signature of Hope Trust partnered with Smile Foundation and Avela Foundation for the refurbishment and expansion of the burn unit as we recognise that children need a safe haven in the face of adversity. There are always people in need of assistance as we do not live in a perfect world, and we at the Signature of Hope Trust felt that this was the ideal opportunity to make an impactful difference. As Mother Teresa said, it’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving,” says SOHT trustee Rashay Makan.
Phases 2 and 3 of the refurbishment project will commence when sufficient funding becomes available.
For more information contact Rashay Makan, Signature of Hope Trust Trustee, at Telephone +27 21 201 1000 or Email him at info@signatureofhope.org.
Carrick Wealth is a registered South African financial services provider specialising in South African and international financial planning and integrated wealth management solutions. Carrick is also licensed in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Malawi, and holds three global licences in Mauritius. Carrick at all times maintains its independence with regard to product providers and asset managers, providing bespoke risk assessment, financial planning and other services to high net worth individuals (HNWI). Through our own qualified and experienced wealth specialists, as well as through partnerships with industry leaders in the fields of foreign exchange, tax, international property, offshore bank accounts, trusts, wills and estate planning, Carrick is able to provide the highest levels of service for your financial planning and investment requirements, both offshore and domestic.
