Newcastle’s very own Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale once said, “Happiness is the gradual realisation of a worthy ideal or goal.”

A worthy cause put bubbly brunette, Helena du Plooy, on the map after a post about a man named Barend van Tonder sparked interest on social media recently. After reading the post, Helena responded by taking it upon herself to contact the family and offer them the help they clearly needed.

“After assessing the wound and having a chat to the family, I could tell that they were not in the financial position to travel to the clinic and back every day to have his dressings changed in a sterile environment. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that this family needed help immediately,” said nurse, turned phlebotomist, Helena.

Caring for the wound, with the help of new friends made on social media, Helena posts pictures weekly, keeping the public updated on the progress made by Mr van Tonder.

“I am happy with the way the wound looks after proper care. When I first arrived at the family’s home, the smell of Mr van Tonder’s wound was revolting; it was almost hard to breathe while in the same room as him,” she said.

Trying to keep the wound as sterile as possible is a challenge. Helena has now made it her mission to arrange a hospital bed for Mr van Tonder.

“It breaks my back to tend to the wound on a normal bed. It’s a full-time job not to break a sweat while cleaning his wounds and changing his dressings,” admitted Helena.

Helena has faced numerous of trials and tribulations of her own. Losing her son when he was only a year and three months old has made her appreciate how precious life really is.

“I believe that losing my child has steered me in a positive direction both personally and professionally. Whether it’s washing an elderly woman’s hair, clipping someone’s toenails or donating goods to poor families, everybody needs a helping hand every now and then,” continued Helena.

The single mom, much like everyone else, has months when the ends just do not meet. “Although I might not have millions of Rands in the bank, I provide for my family and still manage to scrape together enough money to do as much as possible for others.”

Helena feels a pressing responsibility to play her part in making Newcastle a more close-knit community, despite being warned by others not to try and bear the crosses of families in need.

“We live for ourselves nowadays; we don’t even know who our neighbours are. This is the life society has become accustomed to.”

Helena has gone above and beyond what is expected to put a smile on the faces of the less fortunate. Her selflessness and undying love for charity make her worthy of praise and admiration. We as Newcastle residents are responsible for making our town a more caring and connected one. At the end of the day, the buck stops with you.

Anyone who would like to donate medical supplies, clothes or any other goods to Helena can contact the Newcastle Advertiser at ncschools@caxton.co.za.