Remedial care continues as Saint Giles celebrates 70 years

As non-profit organisation Saint Giles marks its 70th birthday this month, there is plenty to celebrate. The centre boasts several successful projects, including a remedial therapy centre and work centre that employs people with disabilities. In a weekly series, Berea Mail will discover more about Saint Giles. This week, we visit the Sukuma Therapy Centre where dedicated staff offer remedial therapy to members of the disabled community.

THE remedial care centre, founded early in Saint Giles’ history has long catered to the disabled community and stroke patients in recovery. After a tough Covid-19 period, the gym has emerged as an independent entity this year, renamed Sukuma Therapy Centre.

Remedial therapist, Thanda Qwathekana, who has worked at the centre for 16 years, said the pandemic left a gap in funding. While Saint Giles could not continue to offer free remedial therapy, Qwathekana and his colleagues, Sam Ndebele and Gina Gabriel, have been able to keep the gym open by introducing a R500 monthly fee for daily use of the gym with expert guidance.

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“Remedial therapy is based on therapeutic exercises, especially for people who have completed physio therapy sessions. We bridge the gap, to make sure there is progress in their recovery – so they don’t just sit at home after physio, “said Qwathekana.

Prior to the pandemic, the busy gym saw about 42 patients arrive each day, using the gym in two shifts – one for stroke patients and one for wheelchair-bound patients.
“Numbers are increasing again, with an average of 17 to 24 people visiting per day, but as we begin to recover, we hear about the fifth wave in the Covid-19 pandemic – it’s a rollercoaster. We have also introduced a fee and some patients can afford this one month and then they skip two months before coming back,” said Qwathekana.

Among the gym’s core functions is to motivate patients to exercise and ensure they do so safely.

“Besides injuring themselves, some people would just hold onto the machine and not do anything. Not everyone is motivated and it’s not going to happen over night, we need to help them understand the importance of exercise,” explained Qwathekana.

Plenty of good reviews

Among those exercising at the gym on Monday, May 9, was central Durban resident, Faizal Haffajee (61) who started using the gym in November last year. After suffering a stroke two years ago, Haffajee was unable to move the right side of his body.
“I was very scared when I had my stroke. I was struggling to recover at home – I had no exercise at home,” he said.
Now, Haffajee visits the gym for about two hours a day from Monday until Friday. He has since improved significantly, regaining movement in his arm. While he uses a wheelchair to get around, Haffajee is starting to walk again, with the aide of a walking stick.
“He can move his hand and get out of bed by himself now,” added Haffajee’s carer, Zandile Dlamini.

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While Haffajee has used the gym for months, Tafta resident, Bernice Green has just started her therapy. Back for her second visit on Monday, Green was already a fan.
“This gym is phenomenal. I had a stroke in February and I was in hospital until Thursday last week,” said Green who is also battling kidney failure.

Sponsor a patient

As Qwathekana and his team keep the gym doors open, they welcome donations from the community.

“Patients can be individually sponsored at R500 per month,” he said, “We would like to employ two more staff if we can raise the funds.”

For more information, contact Qwathekana on 082 254 5577.

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