Baking a difference one cupcake at a time

A RAINBOW of sugar, sprinkles and everything nice marked National Cupcake Day 4 Kidz with Cancer this past Saturday by Cupcakes of Hope.

Hillside Mall on the Bluff was one of the many shopping centres across the country that hosted and supported the community driven project which saw bakers, businesses, volunteers and members of the community come together for one main cause – to make a difference in the lives of children fighting cancer.

Cupcakes of Hope is a non-profit organisation that aims to raise awareness surrounding childhood cancer and assist in raising funds for families in need of medical assistance. Young champ, Danté Radhella, 11, who is currently in remission for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), shone as a beacon of hope for the many children facing the dreadful disease. His journey with cancer first began with episodes of pain, headaches and hives which eventually led to multiple trips to the doctor’s room before being diagnosed with ALL in 2016. “From the moment I was informed about the news I knew I had to be strong for my son and everyone around him. The journey then began with different phases of chemotherapy treatment, a whole lot of love, patience and faith. It takes a lot of tolerance being in and out of hospital not knowing what tomorrow brings,” said his mother, Yolande Adam, who has been a Danté’s from the time he was diagnosed.

Yolande, who has worked in the medical field for 15 years, explained that a lot of lifestyle changes had to be implemented to accommodate Danté’s treatment, such as changes in diet, taking time off school, being selective when it comes to family outings and juggling work. “His older sister needed to move in with her grandparents as I am a single mom and I needed to be in hospital with Danté most of the time during the first year and a half of his diagnosis. We were basically living out of suitcases, but we remained hopeful throughout the process and it helped that we were in really good hands.

“Cupcakes of Hope have been a great support to us and their financial assistance has gone a long way. They also sent through a special gift for Danté on his birthday this year. Through experiencing this journey with my son, I hope that we may be able to overcome cancer and give back to others who are in a similar position. I come from a home of bakers and I would love to give more of my time as a volunteer for the organisation,” said Yolande.

Danté also suffers from asthma. Although he had a setback this year he is doing much better and makes the most of each day and hopes to go back to school next year. “Sometimes there are good days and sometimes there are bad days. My mom has helped me throughout this journey and she still stands strong no matter how I am. I advise anyone on this journey to be brave and strong. There is always light at the end of the tunnel,” said Danté, who hopes to be a police officer or a detective when he grows up.

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