Editor’s Note: A little support goes a long way

February is known as the month of love, and it usually motivates people to be more caring, giving, loving, generous, and supportive.

This is also my birthday month, and I have decided to make use of the feelings mentioned above, and appeal to the community to help me make my birthday wish come true.

This year, I have decided to use my birthday celebrations to help out an organisation that is very close to my heart by creating a fundraising link on Given Gain in an attempt to raise some much-needed funds for them.

The cause I am supporting this year is the Cancer Association of South Africa’s (CANSA) annual Shave-a-thon.

This event is an annual one that usually takes place from the last week in February until the end of March. The aim of the event is not only to help raise funds but also to help everyone show support for cancer patients, survivors, warriors, and thrivers. All you need to do is pay a small donation to have your hair sprayed with funky colours (or, if you are brave enough, shave it off!) and a few minutes of your time.

This year is the Shave-a-thon’s 20th anniversary and it will be kicked off on the weekend of February 25 and 26 at selected malls. If you would like to support this great cause, have a look at this link to see where they will be: https://shavathon.org.za/participating-shopping-centres/

There will also be opportunities for corporate companies, schools, churches, or any other individual, to partake in this initiative from February 27 to March 31. For more information visit this link: https://shavathon.org.za/

For me, showing this support is quite personal and that is why I have decided to do something extra this year, because I believe that, even though we cannot help everyone, everyone can help someone.

I am supporting this cause to honour Zannerique Toerien, who lost her battle at only eight years old and to show my respect for the 22-year-old Clarece Scholtz, who battled leukemia and came out on top. She never backed down and refused to give up the fight. I am also doing it to honour the memory of my sister-in-law, Suzette Bloem, who passed away after a brief, but fierce fight with pancreatic cancer, as well as to show my unwavering support and admiration to one of my colleagues, Natasha Pretorius, who, despite all the challenges she faced during her battle, bravely fought on and can now proudly say she is a not only a survivor but a warrior.

Help me make my birthday wish come true, by visiting https://www.givengain.com/ap/adele-bloem-raising-funds-for-cansa-shavathon and making a donation.

Until next week, stay safe and look out for each other…