Running costs for the care centre include R10 000 per patient each month.
As the memories of Mandela Day slowly fade one Edenvale care organisation faces closure.
As the last remaining government hospice on the East Rand, the Edenvale Care Centre Hospice provides a vital service to those who are not only terminally ill but also unable to seek expensive alternative care.
“We cannot let it happen. We cannot close our doors,” said the organisation’s Sister Leigh.
Also read: Generating chaos
While the care centre regularly receives financial support from the Department of Health, more than half of its financial funding is sourced from corporates, small businesses and individuals.
“The Department of Health has been incredibly good to us, they even upped our budget, but my private donors have dried up,” Sister Leigh said.
Hospice East Rand recently closed its last remaining ward. This left only nurses offering home based care.
The critical care provided by Sister Leigh and her dedicated team of nurses in the 13-bed care centre and hospice can only be described as exceptional.
“We do not take in patients who have medical aid. Our patients are really down and out not only financially but also emotionally and medically.
While Sister Leigh receives patients from across Gauteng many of those in her care are residents of Edenvale.
“I cover hospitals Steve Biko, OR Tambo, Tembisa, Natal Spruit, Germiston, Edenvale and more, then I draw my line in Heidelberg,” said Sister Leigh.
In addition, some of the care centre patients are brought to Sister Leigh from other hospice organisations.
Wits Hospice recently found a man living behind a bowling green in Houghton.
Also read: Bikers donate much-needed funds
“Houghton staff cleaned him up and he was brought to the centre with end stage cardiac arrest. At the time he hadn’t seen his daughter in 22 years. She took one look at him and walked out the door,” Sister Leigh said.
“He, like many of the patients here, had nothing, not even a toothbrush,” she said.
Sister Leigh also regularly receives patients from surrounding informal settlements such as Alexandra and Makause in Germiston.
“A carer doing her round will find someone locked in a shack, bedridden. They are locked in the shack by family members.
“We have had cases where family members are simply left inside shacks and back rooms to die,” she said.
Sister Leigh partly attributes the loss of hospice care to organisations becoming greedy.
“In the past, I would be able to send patients to other organisations with R500 and their SASSA cards but now some of these organisations charge R200 per day for care,” Sister Leigh said.
“A SASSA grant is little over R1 500. How are the people in my care ever going to afford R6 000 per month,”
“We take in the poorest of the poor and only charge a R300 admission fee. I sort out their SASSA for them and provide the absolute best care then charge the patients nothing for it,” she said.
“We need to make it clear that the centre is receiving donations from our long term donors, many of who have trusted the care of their loved family members to the centre. But we need to at least double our monthly income. We need to raise a further R60 000 each month on top of our current donations,” said Sister Leigh.
Running costs for the care centre include R10 000 per patient each month.
Also read: Motorcycle club continues its support
This month while Sister Leigh’s dedicated staff will receive their meagre salaries, Sister Leigh herself will not be taking home a salary.
“Edenvale residents need to start looking at what they have in their back gardens before they lose a very important part of the community,” Sister Leigh said.
She emphasised that local organisations such as Rotary, Dickie Fritz and others along with generous donations of fresh produce from big businesses have greatly assisted the centre.
“We also receive a great amount of support from schools like Holy Rosary School. We appreciate everything the school children do for us,” Sister Leigh said.
Those who can assist the Edenvale Hospice Care Centre can contact Sister Leigh on 011 454-0996.
Wish list items can her found here: Wish List
For more news and interesting articles, like Bedfordview and Edenvale NEWS on Facebook or follow us on Twitter
