In the spirit of selfless service and honouring the legacy of Nelson Mandela, Elphin Lodge Retirement Village and Ron Smith Care Centre extended a helping hand to the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital.
The Rand Aid-run retirement village and care centre community came together to donate essential funds and care packages to support the hospital’s vital work in caring for new mothers and their babies.
According to Debbie Beech, Elphin Lodge’s deputy manager, Rahima Moosa hospital is the second busiest maternity in Gauteng and specialises in premature deliveries.
“At our initial meeting with Prof Keith Bolton, one of the paediatricians, he told us that the Kangaroo Mother Care Unit has no hot water facilities. A dream was for them to get a geyser installed to solve this issue. They were also in constant need of care packs, blankets, and clothing for baby and mom alike,” says Debbie.
A raffle was put together to raise funds towards the purchase of a geyser and the response from residents and members of the general community was amazing. “We raised R8 000 for the geyser and received sufficient donations to fill 43 care packs. We also got a huge number of hand-knitted blankets and baby clothes, receiving blankets and other much-needed items.”
On July 26, a small group of staff and residents from Elphin Lodge went to the hospital to hand over the items that had been collected.
“We were greeted by Dr Joy Fredericks, a paediatrician who kindly showed us around the wing. Although the building is old, the place was spotless. Overcrowding is a very real issue, and they have several public-private sector collaborations underway to improve the facilities and deal with overcrowding. The staff were friendly and their dedication to their patients was obvious,” says Debbie.
She says the Kangaroo Mother Care Unit is a cosy place, where the moms ‘incubate’ their babies on their chests. “This method has been proven as the most effective in treating stable prem babies,” says Debbie.
The Rand Aid delegation was able to hand out a care pack, blanket, and hand-knitted teddy to each mother in the unit.
“The need for hot water remains but the solution is more complicated than merely providing a geyser. We are still in discussions with the relevant people to make this dream a reality.
“A big thank you to everyone who contributed, from the ladies who knitted and sewed, to those who donated items and bought raffle tickets. We were overwhelmed by the positive response.
“Mandela Day aims to give back. Not just for 67 minutes, but on a sustainable level. Hopefully, the geyser and provision of hot water will be a long-lasting result of this successful initiative,” says Debbie.
A sample of the items that went into the care packs.
Elphin Lodge resident Kathleen Henson hands over a teddy to a new mom.
Debbie Beech, the deputy manager of Elphin Lodge, hands over a care pack to a mother whose baby was receiving care at the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital.
Debbie Christen, who oversees Ron Smith Care Centre’s recreational programmes, warms a new mom’s heart.
