Hospice honours its angels

Umduduzi Hospice Care for Children held its first fundraising breakfast at the Durban Botanic Gardens recently, where it awarded its ‘angels’ for their support.

According to Tracey Brand, co-founder of Umduduzi, the organisation focuses on the quality of life of terminally ill children while they are still alive.

Dr Julia Ambler was working in the UK as a GP and met a paediatrician who said she had the perfect job for her. “I was told to contact a man who had developed a training programme to train doctors in palliative care. I never looked back. I am the only doctor in KZN with the speciality in paediatric palliative care, which is relatively new in South Africa,” she said.

Umduduzi has been running as an NGO in KZN for just over a year and according to Tracey, the need they fill is extraordinary.

“I was involved in The Blue Shoes organisation in KZN in 2008 and one of the arms of the organisation was paediatric palliative care. No one knew anything about this, so we hired a doctor and in walked Julia. We started visiting children at Albert Luthuli Hospital and now we see children in nine hospitals. With the national closure of the organisation, we realised we had made such a difference, that ethically we could not stop, so Umduduzi was born,” said Tracey.

“We provide a very holistic practice, and it’s a partnership with family, practitioners and the children, all in the best interests of the children, our patients,” said Julia.

The women said they interacted with many ‘angels’ on a daily basis, who supported Umduduzi’s work, and three were awarded at the breakfast, The Hillcrest Respite Centre at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre, the nurses and doctors at Albert Luthuli B3 East ward, and the Durban CHOC team.

Guest speaker was Nicola Jackman, an award-winning actress, voice artist and joy catalyst. Nicola has been effecting a more joyful, positive consciousness in Southern Africa and is the founder of the UPLiftment Programme, bringing joy to children in hospitals.