Not even the wet and gloomy weather could dampen the spirits of the members of the Wilro Lions club who enjoyed their afternoon tea party with much enthusiasm.
The afternoon’s activities started with members writing names on small pieces of cardboard and tying them to balloons before releasing them. “We always start these events by releasing balloons in the sky to celebrate the lives of those who have lost their battle with cancer. It is also done to raise awareness,” said Sandy van Heerden, the club’s Public Relations Officer.
The day’s theme was ‘Once Upon a Time’, and each table was decorated according to a children’s story book, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Alice in Wonderland, Pinocchio, and The Ugly Duckling, to name just a few.
“We had approximately 98 guests joining us, and everyone enjoyed themselves tremendously. Each table was assigned to a hostess who had to sell tickets for the day, and every guest brought some snacks for the table. The hostess was responsible for the decoration of the table as well,” she said.
All the money raised during the event will be donated to the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa).
This year, they decided to support paediatric cancer and Sandy explained that they had a specific message regarding this. “We want people to know that childhood cancer can be cured, if it is detected early enough. That is why we want people to be aware of which warning signs to look out for, to ensure early detection,” Sandy said.
They will also be handing out cancer care kits to children with cancer and said, “We have already used some of the money raised for this cause to buy the items needed for such a pack, but the help of the community would be welcomed with opened arms. The care kit consists of a blanket, washable toy, lip balm, colouring books, crayons, hard candy and something to drink. We will be handing these kits out to children at the Baragwanath cancer ward as well as the Johannesburg General cancer ward,” she said.
If there is anyone that is willing to help in sponsoring a care kit or maybe some of the items in the kit, contact Sandy on 083 564 6388.
The guest speakers on the day were Doug and Nicolene Potgieter, who volunteer at the Children’s Haemotology Oncology Clinics (Choc). They did not only talk about the organisation and what they do, but also shared their story of how they lost their son to cancer 14 years ago.
Their message was simple, “We concentrate on creating awareness about childhood cancer and how to spot the warning signs, because that’s how the disease can be cured. If your child is diagnosed with cancer, remember, you are not alone and do not have to walk the path on your own – there is support available, keeping more than hope alive,” Doug said.
For more information on Choc, visit their website at www.choc.org.za
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to let your voice be heard!
