New CHOC house to give support to kids with cancer

The new house, located in Lyttelton, has enough room for eight children who can each be accompanied by one caregiver.

Tshwane metro mayor Solly Msimanga addresses the crowd at the CHOC house in Lyttelton. Photo: Ron Sibiya

Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga and Clover opened the new Clover Nutrikids CHOC house on Friday, reports Centurion Rekord.

The house, sponsored by Clover, is part of the childhood cancer foundation’s (CHOC’s) attempt to provide a “home away from home” for children with cancer and their parents.

It is located at 185 Monument drive, Lyttelton, near the Unitas hospital.

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Over R2 million had been invested in the house to make sure it provided the maximum benefit to the children of CHOC.

As CHOC founder Sadie Cutland explains, the house accommodates children who are undergoing cancer treatment and provides support to their parents.

Sadie Cutland and Rosanna Strydom at the CHOC house on Friday. Photo: Ron Sibiya

Cutland and her husband Julian found themselves in the same position as most of these parents when their daughter was diagnosed with cancer in 1977.

“We didn’t know what to do as parents,” said Cutland, a nurse at the time.

Cutland remembers having doctors and nurses tell her and her husband what to do, but the information being overwhelming.

“At the time we didn’t have the internet to help us. We needed support and that is where the CHOC idea was born,” she said.

“There is more to treating children than with medicine alone.”

CHOC offers a variety of services to these children and their caregivers including raising awareness around cancer, providing support and counselling to parents as well as siblings and even providing transport where necessary.

Actress Lillian Dube. Photo: Ron Sibiya

The previous house in Capital Park could no longer accommodate the growing initiative. The new house has enough room for eight children who can each be accompanied by one caregiver.

On Friday Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga told those present that the completion of the house was good news for children at a time when there was only bad news.

“Government will not be able to do everything on its own. The private sector also needs to come on board and ask how it can play its part,” said Msimanga.