Families with children in hospital are suffering — help us give them a fighting chance

Last year we asked you to help families in Lusikisiki that were struggling to feed children during the school holidays, when the National School Nutrition Programme does not operate. We were overwhelmed by your generosity and raised R2-million for food parcels, which were still feeding families in February.

This year, in collaboration with SA Harvest, we are asking you to help us feed families that suffered a medical emergency. Specifically, families where children were diagnosed with cancer and are receiving treatment, and those hit by disaster where children need hospitalisation for broken bones.

Many young patients receiving chronic care at hospitals throughout South Africa are sent home in December when it is more important than ever that they have healthy food to eat.

The associated travel costs and interruptions to work or looking for employment have a dire impact on a family’s finances.

If you spend any time at a state hospital you will often see families giving their only blanket to a sick child while others at home forgo that little bit of comfort. When you ask parents what they need, they might say Vaseline, as chemotherapy and medications dry out children’s skin.

When you ask the children to draw themselves, they draw themselves perfectly — with hair, working arms and legs, in fast cars, with SpongeBob SquarePants or with their favourites from Paw Patrol.

One doctor told us about a child who, despite having terminal cancer, gained 11kg when hospitalised just because he was being fed regularly.

For a R500 donation, you can bless a family with a child in hospital with a bucket containing 5kg of super maize, 400g of peanut butter, salt, 2kg of rice, 100g of mutton soya mince, a packet of soup powder, a tin of pilchards, a tin of baked beans, a tin of mixed vegetables, instant maize porridge, heat-and-eat soup, split peas, samp and jam.

Children in the paediatric oncology outpatient unit at Gqeberha’s Provincial Hospital draw, colour and play during an outreach by local NPO Siyavuka for Kids. (Photo: Siyavuka for Kids)

Children during Siyavuka for Kids’ outreach at Gqeberha’s Provincial Hospital. (Photo: Siyavuka for Kids)

SA Harvest will also make sure that children receive basic toiletries and blankets to make life a little easier for them while they fight for their lives.

While the government has made great strides against malnutrition in the decades since it introduced the child grant, the amount provided is no longer sufficient. With the rise in food prices, nutrition-dense food has become particularly unaffordable.

In a written answer to a question in Parliament last week, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said that while mortality rates due to severe acute malnutrition have declined in South Africa these remain high for an upper-middle-income country. 

“In particular, newborn mortality rates and stillbirth rates have shown little decline. Improvements in children’s health and well-being [are] dependent on addressing the social determinants of health as children are extremely vulnerable to socioeconomic stressors, with the increased cost of food likely to result in increased malnutrition and associated mortality. In addition, limited mechanisms are in place for ensuring that services for mothers and children are protected,” he added.

So we need your help. Like last year. The situation has not been addressed. At Daily Maverick, we believe in the power of people, not politicians. You can help to give our sick and injured children a fighting chance.

“Be part of something beautiful, let’s celebrate the power of kindness,” SA Harvest chief operation officer Ozzy Nel said. “Sponsor a bucket. Share this message. Stand with us in creating a world where dignity and compassion shine.”

A child plays in the paediatric oncology outpatient unit of Gqeberha’s Provincial Hospital. (Photo: Siyavuka for Kids)

How you can help

Use this link for donations.

Readers can also use SA Harvest’s bank details to make a contribution. Please add DM behind your surname as a reference.

Their bank details are: 

FNB 

Account number 62693490478 

Branch Code: 255955 

Branch name: Randpark Ridge 

Swift Code: FIRNZAJJ

Read more about Buckets of Nutrition here.

You do not have to donate the full R500 – any donation will be welcomed and used to buy buckets of nutrition for this initiative. Please mark your donation with the reference: Buckets.

If you would like to send a message of support with your bucket (or donation) please email me at [email protected] with your proof of payment and your message.

About SA Harvest

SA Harvest is an organisation that is committed to ending hunger and reducing food waste. Since 2019, it has been fighting food waste through food rescue, education programmes and sustainability initiatives.

Through its youth employment project, it has created a team working with communities and vetting recipients. Its high-tech systems also allow for complete transparency in its projects. DM