The Friends of the Children’s Hospital Association

Through partnerships with the provincial government, NGO's and donors the association supports various initiatives:

• The Volunteer Programme, where local and international volunteers called 'play leaders' assist in the stimulation of patients through play activities .
• Offers administrative support to reflexology and aromatherapy sessions.
• Conduct non-administrative nursing duties and care clowning.
• In the Sibanye Project, volunteers provide emotional, nutritional and educational support to infected mothers of HIV + patients and conduct support groups to empower parents to deal with the stigma and discrimination around HIV/AIDS.
• The Spina Bifida Support Group educates and provides ongoing support to parents who have children with Spina Bifida.
• Children who have had a tracheotomy need ongoing medical care and support and the Tracheotomy and Ventilation Home-Care Programme equips parents to care for their children at home.
• The Family Resource Centre is a non-clinical area of the hospital for families and care-givers of hospital patients where they are given the necessary support and affirmation to assist them to cope with their children’s illness and promotes and restores the dignity of the patient and family as well as reducing poverty.

All these initiatives enable the Association to provide amenities, assistance, and benefits to in and out-patients that attend the children's hospital.

Innovation

The Association is unique to the hospital and is the only one of its kind in South Africa that attempts to improve the often neglected psycho-social outcomes of children who have life-threatening diseases. The Association has made it possible for chronically ill children to be cared for by their parents in the hospital or at home.

Effectiveness

In 2005, volunteers contributed 36 210 hours to provide additional care for seriously ill children.  This is equivalent to an additional 90 nursing posts. Via successful funding, applications the Association was able to purchase medical equipment worth R799 613 for the 2005/2006 financial year. These contributions save the hospital money and provide additional accessories for patients that make their life more meaningful. Each month 50 mothers received Food Aid, while 30 food parcels were given to needy families and this amounted to R28 912.  Transport assistance to parents for the same period amounted to R3 326.

Poverty Impact

Patients often visit the office after having been discharged and the pride on the face of a Tracheotomy patient who can now talk, the smile of a burn survivor who has a new set of prosthetic legs or seeing conjoined twins walk into the office after a successful separation operation bear testimony to the fact that the Association is making a difference in peoples' lives. Due to circumstances of chronic poverty, many would not have been able to afford this level of support in a private hospital. Seven of the eight members of staff were volunteers before they were employed by the Association, while 15 others have gained employment because of the skills that they acquired while working as a volunteer for the Association.

Sustainability

The management committee is responsible for the financial management and reporting at management meetings, while, Neil Tedder and Company audits the finances of the Association. The Association’s income increased from R853 017 in 2005 to R1 242 394 in 2006, while their expenditure for the same period mirrored their income. There are 80 specialised volunteers, 150 weekday volunteers and 23 short-term volunteers, who have more than 30 years of experience between them. This suggests a fare amount of stability in the organisation.

Replication

The model as implemented can be replicated in similar settings across the country. Support has already been given to the Friends of Hermanus Hospital, The Friends of the Child Protection Unit and the Friends of the Mowbray Maternity Hospital so start up similar initiatives in their settings.

Partnerships

• Provincial Department of Social Services and Poverty Alleviation
• Individual donors
• Community Chest
• Volunteer Child Network
• The Lottery – Charities Sector
• Greater Good South Africa
• Fikelela Aids Project
• Volunteer Centre South Africa

Visit www.friendsofthechildrenshospital.co.za for more information