Light up the night with Hospice
By donating R60 for a globe, you can help light up the night sky when the Highway Hospice's Tree of Light is switched on in December.
ONE of the Highway Hospice’s longest serving members, Stella Thackray, encourages residents to buy a globe, in memory of a loved one, for the Tree of Light’s 25th anniversary.
The lights will be switched on, on Friday, 1 December and is the organisation’s most important appeals of the year.
Stella, a professional nurse in the in-patient unit, described the event as both wonderful and moving.
Her work with the non-profit organisation began in 1982, while she was working part time at a doctor’s office.
“We didn’t really apply for the positions, we just sort of dropped in. There were just two beds back then and in my spare time I would go through and volunteer my services,” said Stella.
She described how R100 000 was saved up to purchase what is now known as Strelitzia House.
The building was then extended in 1988, pushing Highway Hospice from five beds to 16 beds.
In 2000 they hit a funding slump and had to cut back the beds down to eight.
While the in-patient unit was cut by half, the home-based care project continued, helping up to between 500 and 600 people, including 250 children.
“These children either have no parents or are child-headed households. We supervise, make sure they receive food parcels and uniforms for school and help sort out their grants,” said the passionate nurse.
“This is not a job for me, this is a calling. I just feel that I was born to do this and know that I have chosen the right path in life. People think that when you come to Hospice that it means you are going to die, but we discharged 68 people last year.”
Stella described her role as a privilege, not only to help the patients but also to be there for their families as well.
“The tree of light was started 25 years ago. This event isn’t just about what it means to me, but what it means to the families and remembering their loved ones over the festive season,” said Stella.
If you would like to remember a loved one at this special event, please donate R60 for a globe to the Highway Hospice. Corporates are invited to sponsor the star on the top of the tree for R10 000 as a shining symbol of love, care and concern for the community.
