Despite all the challenges, the Theunis Fichardt Hospitium is still going strong and growing daily, says Adri Ras, the regional manager of the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa) Polokwane.
“There is a growing need for beds as we have to tell doctors daily that all our beds are full. Due to this need, we intend to expand the hospitium from nine beds to 24 beds. Plans are underway to enlarge the existing accommodation for the families of patients who only come for treatment. For this project, we again need the assistance of the community as extensions to the building necessitate all kinds of help and funding,” says Ras.
Donations like new beds, mattresses and bedside tables for the existing wards were received with much appreciation and excitement as the original furniture was no longer in good condition.
“Such donations from wonderful donors in the community make the lives of the staff and patients a whole lot better as caring for the patients is done with more ease and less discomfort to the patient,” he says.
“There is a lot of maintenance needed on the building. The gutters and floors need replacing and the building needs paint. We want to revamp the whole building.”
On July 27, the hospitium celebrated its 23rd anniversary.
“It has been 23 years of biting the bullet and using every bit of strength and ingenuity to make things easier for the terminally ill cancer patient and his or her family.
“We want to stress the fact that the hospitium is not a general hospice, it delivers specialised services to cancer patients. Cansa also undertakes research and delivers cancer-related services to the public, like information regarding factors that may cause cancer,” says Ras.
At the hospitium and care clinic, patients can do pap smears, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, wound treatment and blood pressure, sugar and glucose tests. They also provide counselling for patients and family members.
“We have professional counsellors and social workers and support groups for different types of cancers, where survivors can share their experiences. There is also a support group that does home-based therapy.”
There are 33 beds for children and 20 beds for their parents at the Tough Living with Cancer ward at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital.
Cansa provides food and clothes, as well as toiletries, mouth wash and education for those who might need it in the ward.
They also provide toys and educational material for the children and there is a party for the children once a month to lift their spirits.
