Warriors with a Purpose bring positivity to the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital Oncology Ward

Warriors with a Purpose brought fun, encouragement and some gifts to the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital Oncology Ward on Mandela Day. Founder and director of Warriors with a Purpose Rene Singh said they were celebrating the day on July 18 by bringing the Cancer Awareness Drive to the hospital.

Activities included some music and talks by cancer survivors as well as sponsors. The Warriors also went around the oncology ward and handed out some goodies to the children and pink bras to the adults in that ward.

Singh said that their Pink Bra Drive began last year in June. Five women undergoing chemotherapy were pampered and had some makeup put on them.

“All this is an effort to bring some joy and positivity,” said Singh.

Warrior Henrietta Van Kraunberg said the Warriors with a Purpose were there to bring the ‘vibe’ to lift people’s spirits. “We come to the hospital every month to see all the cancer wards and we bring all the love, smiles and lots of care packages and donations we get. Everything we get comes from supporters of patients and patient care at the hospital,” she said.

A nurse at the hospital, Pintisha Brownley encouraged parents to look into every symptom children have and not to delay taking the child to the clinic. “Many people have this belief that cancer does not affect children, but it does. It does not look at age, sex, race or nationality but affects anybody and everybody. We ask each and everybody who is here today to take the message out to community, family and friends that activities today are to help out children and other people with cancer,” said Brownley.

With one of the warriors, Tania Hansrod, absent due to fighting breast cancer, a moment was taken to pay dedication to her. A relative, Cheryl Pillay, said Hansrod has been fighting cancer for the past 13 years and was a real warrior. “She has all the love and care and has prepared these bags of love, specifically for breast cancer warriors and give them a message of hope to say you are not alone in this and being diagnosed with cancer is not the end of the world,” Pillay said.

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