Stepping Stone Hospice reaches another milestone
“Demand for our services, and especially a children’s ward, has necessitated a further extension and while we explored several options, funding always remained a huge issue,” said Burger.
OCTOBER 2018 not only marks World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, celebrated on October 13, but also five years since Stepping Stone Hospice and Care Services opened its In-Patient Unit in New Market Park on October 9, 2013.
Adding to the list of October milestones was the pouring of concrete on October 17 of the 78 pillars that will hold the extension of the In-Patient Unit in New Market Park.
The combined efforts of Kim Scanell from Grayston Travel, Russell Cruickshank from Cornerstone Projects, Thersea Corrigan from SCS Architects, Francois du Plooy, a town and regional planner, and a fantastic team of sponsors and donors will see the In-Patient Unit extend from an eight-bed to a 14-bed unit.
When the call came from Scanell that she wishes to donate a 435m² second-hand park home, previously used as offices, to the hospice, the team at Stepping Stone Hospice accepted the offer without hesitation.
“Everything just seemed to have fallen into place from thereon,” explained Tersia Burger, the CEO of Stepping Stone Hospica.
Russell Cruickshank from Cornerstone Projects has come on board to get this project going and to oversee the transformation of this dilapidated building into a first-class facility for our patients. He has committed his time and expertise to see the project through and to facilitate funding.
The hospice opened its In-Patient Unit in October 2013, at the time offering three wards. With some serious fund-raising efforts, especially from the hospice 947 Cycle Team, the unit was increased to eight wards in 2015.
“Demand for our services, and especially a children’s ward, has necessitated a further extension and while we explored several options, funding always remained a huge issue,” said Burger.
Scannell has lost close friends to cancer, many of them looked after by the staff at Stepping Stone Hospice.
“So when it came to making a decision as to where the park home should go, I had no hesitation in donating it to hospice,” Scannell said.
Strengthening our pillars
While several sponsors have already come on board to assist with the renovation and furnishing of the new unit, the hospice will need more funding, especially when taking into account that a hospital bed, without the mattress, can easily cost up to R25 000.
In an effort to raise the funds needed and to be added to the existing Brick Fund, Stepping Stone Hospice is launching their “Strengthening our Pillars” campaign.
“We offer families, individuals, businesses and community groups an opportunity to sponsor a pillar for R5 000. Each of the 78 pillars represents a month in the Stepping Stone Hospice history, – since January 2013 till September 2018 – 69 months – 1 148 patients who died over the period under our care. The remaining nine pillars are and will be in memory of those currently in our care.
On completion of the project, adjacent to our Brick by Brick Memory Wall, will be the “Strengthening our Pillars” memory wall, listing the names of those who have died and the name of the sponsor of each pillar.
If you are interested in participating in this campaign, kindly contact Marietjie Tame on 082 337 5713 or mail marietjie@steppingstonehospice.co.za who will provide you with all the necessary information you may require.
For free daily local news in the south, visit our sister newspapers Alberton Record, Comaro Chronicle, Southern Courier and Get it Joburg South Magazine.
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. You can also email our offices on cvdwalt@caxton.co.za, juliem@caxton.co.za or luckyt@caxton.co.za
Add us on WhatsApp today! Comaro Chronicle: 079 427 8074 and Southern Courier: 079 404 5789.
Get regular news updates sent directly to your inbox: Newsletter-Signup
