Edenvale Care Centre Hospice is again appealing to the community of Edenvale and surrounding areas for financial assistance.
The centre, which cares for 13 patients, treats patients with end-stage renal and cardiac failure, hypertension, strokes, diabetes types one and two, cancer, HIV/Aids, TB and multi-drug resistant TB.
On October 16, Sister Leigh, from the hospice, said the centre only had R10 000 in its bank account.
Leigh said the centre continues to struggle financially because it did not receive any government funding for nine months last year.
She said the first time the centre received payment, following the backlog, was on January 15.
Leigh’s biggest concern is whether or not she will be able to pay the staff working at the centre their salaries on October 25.
“Last year, I almost went crazy because of stress,” said Leigh.
“I was only able to keep the doors open because of the support from the community.”
At the moment, all of the beds at the centre are filled with patients and there is a waiting list of another three.
Patients who seek assistance from Leigh are often found in poor conditions in informal settlements.
“Sometimes, they are riddled with bedsores and have bite marks from rats on their body.”
Besides accepting patients from informal settlements, Leigh said because she is one of the last government-funded hospices, she caters for nine provincial hospitals.
In terms of donations of food and other items, Leigh said the centre is doing fine.
This is largely because of the community support shown on Mandela Day in July.
“After Mandela Day, the cupboards at the centre were almost bursting from donations.”
Leigh appealed to community members to host fund-raising events for the centre or to make financial donations, if they could.
Phone the centre on 011 454 5358 to learn how you can lend a helping hand.
