Stepping Stone Hospice & Care Services took to the Mall at Newmarket in Alberton to spread awareness about childhood cancer, coinciding with Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September.
Volunteers handed out pamphlets and ribbons and shared their expertise with shoppers, aiming to educate the community about this critical issue.
Irene Barnard, a volunteer at the Stepping Stone Hospice, explained, “We wanted to reach more people, and with this mall being one of the biggest in Alberton, it provided the perfect platform.”
The team’s efforts were rewarded with meaningful interactions, including a reunion with Hroti Rotor, a cancer survivor who spent six weeks in Stepping Stone’s palliative care unit.
“I had a good experience at the hospice. The people are caring, and it is not an easy journey, but they help a lot,” said Rotor.
His encounter with cancer highlighted the importance of support and awareness.
Stepping Stone Hospice also used the opportunity to tell shoppers about their children’s unit, designed to address the shortage of paediatric palliative care facilities.
The unit boasts 10 beds, overnight accommodation for parents, play areas, and study spaces, providing specialised care in a warm environment.
Many misconceptions surround childhood cancer. It is essential to know the facts:
- Children get cancer.
- Cancer is not contagious.
- You cannot get cancer by playing with or touching a cancer patient.
- Children can be diagnosed with cancer, irrespective of race or gender.
- Childhood cancer is a blood disorder, and no one is at fault for this illness.
- Elders must talk about cancer in the family.
- In the best interest of the child’s survival, only make transfusion or amputation decisions in consultation with elders.
- There are early warning signs and symptoms of childhood cancer.
By spreading awareness and educating the community, Stepping Stone aims to break down stigmas and promote support for families affected by childhood cancer.
The organisation thanked the Mall at Newmakert for hosting the event.
