Mandela Day 2016

Mandela Day is one of our favourite celebrations as the sentiment behind this widely-acknowledged day of recognition is something we at Daniel and Friends Fund apply to each and every day :

"...each individual has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better.  If each one of us heeded the call to simply do good every day, we would be living Nelson Mandela’s legacy and helping to build a country of our dreams. "

With Mandela Day falling on a Monday this year, we celebrated with our families on Sunday, 17th July at Bugz Play Park the staff of which went out of their way to make sure that our children were comfortable and that the only things we needed to attend to was having a good time.

After what is most kids' favourite lunchtime meal (hotdogs

of course) it was time to go enjoy the various activities

at the park.  The foofy-slide proved a hit as each slide 

brought with it squeals of excitement, whether you were

actually on the slide or simply running alongside. 

The charming red train which chugs along the perimeter of

the park was, without doubt, a favourite amongst the kids 

and...well...some of the adults too. Here Justine Quinn 

enjoys a ride with her daughter, Isabella. 

A colouring-in competition also formed part of the

day's activities and beautiful Layla Loos proudly 

submitted her picture. With so much effort and pride

put into each picture, picking just one winner would 

have been impossible. Luckily we just happened to 

have a prize for each and every child. 

Saskia Cloete had a ball having her older brother, 

Pierre, over for tea in a life-size doll house. 

Having Minki Burger, one of our ambassadors,

share yet another function with us meant the 

world to both us and our families. 

With the planning and effort which we know goes 

into, what is for others, just a "casual day out", 

we wish to thank each and every family who joined

us at Bugz, as well as the staff at Bugz Play Park for 

making this yet another fantastic Mandela Day celebration. 

Special Needs Parenting : Taking Care of YOU!

PREVENTING INJURY:

While the emotional and psychological implications of caring for a child with special needs is often a point of discussion, the impact on a parent/carer's physical wellbeing is consistently overlooked.  Parents/carers of children with disabilities have no choice but to place their bodies under extreme pressure on a daily basis and usually for indefinite periods of time and while this alone can be exhausting, there is the added challenge that the child they are caring for is growing as quickly as what they themselves are ageing. 

Thankfully, there are skilled professionals who can provide expert advice and guidance on how to both prevent serious injury to yourself and on how to strengthen the body in order to make meeting those physical demands that little bit easier.  One such group of skilled professionals, Aucamp & Wilsdorf Physiotherapists treated our Daniel and Friends Fund parents to an informative and delightfully entertaining morning on this very matter. 

Compromised strength as your body tries to accommodate your growing child, together with continuous repetition of high-risk movement, such as carrying a non-mobile, 25Kg child on your hip for extended periods of time or lifting your child into and out of the bath every evening, can result in painful and debilitating muscle and skeletal injuries, which in turn could cause the following :

• Lower back pain (usually caused by muscle spasms and/or discus lesions)
• Sciatic nerve injury
• Rotator cuff injuries (shoulder)
• Carpal tunnel syndrome

PREVENTION IS BETTER (AND CHEAPER) THAN CURE:

Getting to know and utilise your Transverse Abdominus Muscle - often referred to as the corset in Pilates, the transverse abdominum muscle is the deepest abdominal muscle, which extends from the belly button up to the rib cage. 

It wraps horizontally from the back of the body to the front and its main function is to maintain tone of the abdominal organs and to interplay with many core components, ie. the spine and the muscles surrounding the spine and other abdominal muscles.  Your core is the essential originator of most of the body's movement, as well as is the determinant for the quality of an individual's posture, aligning the trunk if the muscles all have the proper tone.  Because of this structure, the core is a good way to help prevent lower back pain and/or injury. 

 

PREVENTING INJURY – POINTS TO REMEMBER:

 Bath Time :

 

•      Always centre your movement from your core when moving your child

•      Keep your back straight, avoid uncomfortable positions and never rotate your back when you move

•      Keep the child as close to your body as possible

•      Always go down or up to the child’s level

•      Make the area as comfortable as possible and think out of the box with regards to prepping the area before the time, etc. 

•      Use a bath mat to prevent sudden, strained movement should you or your child slip

•      Make use of a bath chair where possible

•      Keep toiletries close by and prepare all necessities beforehand

•      Place a cushion under knees when kneeling next to the bath

•      Raise the bath, if possible

•      Make sure not to rotate your hips when transferring child into or out of bath

•      Ensure that the water level is not too high

•      When warm enough, dry child before taking out of the bath (to prevent slipping)

 
Bed Time :

 

•      Ensure the bed is at a comfortable height

•      “Log roll” the child onto his/her side first

•      Keep your knees comfortably bent

•      Use a slip-sheet movement where possible

•      Wear comfortable clothes

•      Make sure equipment is always at its highest functional level

 

Log Roll

 

 

Transferring child to and from vehicle:

•      Make use of a small step-ladder if the car is too high

•      Hold your child as close to your body as possible

•      Keep the child in a sitting position

•      Position pram or wheelchair before hand

 

Physiotherapist Annegret Wilsdorf demonstrating "Log and Roll"

And the benefits of keeping your child close to your body

Instruction on effective core exercises was enjoyed by young Pierre Cloete

With thanks to Aucamp & Wilsdorf Physiotherapists for,

once again, giving so generously of their time and knowledge. 

 

 

You Better Shape Up!

Our annual Ladies Tea this year was hosted at the picturesque Trikores in Durbanville and based on the 1950's Grease-style theme "You Better Shape Up!"

 

With previous Tea's having proved hugely successful, guests were again invited to host a table to which they would invite their own guests, as well decorate their table at their discretion in the hope of winning the Best Decorated Table category.  Without a doubt, our hostesses outdid themselves this year and attempting to choose just one table out of many exquisitely decorated tables was a task we did not envy the judges of. 

 

 

Our program was tailored around providing our guests with carefully-selected discussions which would provide an informative and thoroughly entertaining morning, touching on topics which would inspire and motivate guests to make a priority of their own wellbeing, on both a physical and emotional level.  Judging from how each speaker was received, it would be fair to say that we were indeed successful.

 

 

Kick-starting the speakers off in her usual quirky way was Lunge With Lauren's Lauren Finnerty, personal trainer and fitness coach, who shared her personal life's story about the struggle to begin and maintain a healthy dietary lifestyle and provided some easy-to-follow tips on how to achieve this.  

 

Michelle Gildenhuys from Styled Success and Sherilee Gildenhuys from Styled Faces delighted guests with some trendy wardrobe hacks and an impromptu make-up demo, with heaps of tips and advice on creating a more beautifully-styled you. 

 

 

Dr Helen Muir, a sought-after speaker and highly respected medical practitioner specialising in homeopathy, integrative oncology and with an interest in nutrition and genetic wellness, had guests riveted as she presented alarming facts about the harmful elements we expose our systems to, often unknowingly, on a daily basis.  

 

Grant Karpakis and "Die Baard" made sure every foot was a-tapping at regular intervals throughout the morning.



 

 

The winner of our Best Dressed Category - the lovely Noeline Grace

 

Having our DFF Family at our functions/events is always one of our main highlights. 

 

As too is the support of our loyal and passionate ambassadors:

Michelle Gildenhuys (2nd left) and Minki Burger (far right) 

COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECTS : ANTI-HIJACKING COURSE

On Saturday, 9th April, the Daniel and Friends Fund was excited to host its very first Anti-Hijacking Course, facilitated by Robert Martin of Global Learning Services, an ex-member of the South African Police Services. 

The Workshop covered the following :

Criminals and their Tactics :

• Criminals work either on their own or as part of a gang, most gangs of which work for syndicates
• Criminals approach their lifestyle as if it were a profession, affording it almost the same amount of planning and commitment, particularly as motives predominantly revolve around money

Reasons for Hijacking:

• Anti-theft devices make simply stealing the cars harder
• Although hijacking is far more risky for the criminal, the financial gain makes it worth it
• Hijacking is considered a petty crime so, if caught, the criminal would face a lesser sentence
• Hijacked vehicles can be sold for an instant R5 000.00 (sometimes more if "ordered" by a syndicate) and can take less than 2 hours to be stripped by the "chop shop"

Types of Hijacking:

• Spontaneous - usually carried out by an opportunist who spots a negligent victim
• Planned - a specific car "ordered" (usually through a syndicate). This particular type of hijacking usually requires observing the target's routine for some time first. 

Most common places for Hijackings to take place :

• When target is leaving/returning home
• Entrance/exit to place of work
• Intersections
• Petrol stations
• Outside shops, roadhouses, etc
• Parking lots/garages at shopping centres
• Narrow, isolated streets
• High-crime areas
• Popular locations eg. "lovers' lane", etc

Tactics hijackers use to fool their victims :

• Dressing up as police officers, hitch-hikers, car guards, street hawkers at intersections NB If a police vehicle instructs you to pull off the road, indicate to them that you are going to drive to the nearest police station and they should follow
• Pretending to be good Samaritans, eg. trying to pull you off the road by telling you your wheel is flat
• Faking an accident scene NB In the case of arriving at an accident scene, never leave your vehicle.  Stay alert and call an ambulance from your car.
• Pretending to need directions
• Bumping into your vehicle

Hijackers Planning :

• The hijacker will observe your routine and plan ahead - make a habit of occasionally changing your route, etc. particularly if your routine involves things like banking large amounts of cash on set days, etc
• Hijackers will often work in a team so that one members can distract the victim
• They will always target the driver as he/she has control of the vehicle

Weapons most often used :

• Firearms (including homemade firearms)
• Knives
• Batons
• Stones
• Tear gas or pepper spray
• Spark plug (to shatter the window)

Safety and Prevention :

• Always plan your route ahead of time and identify alternate routes in the event that you find your safety feeling compromised
• Avoid routine
• Always tell colleagues/family where you are going and which route you will be going
• When approaching your vehicle, have your keys ready in your hand and scan the area around your vehicle. Enter and exit vehicle as quickly as possible
• Leave your window/s (particularly the passenger window) with a 5-10cm gap. This reduces the severity of the shattered window and might deter a hijacker.
• Advise colleagues/family when you have arrived at your destination
• Make a habit of scanning your surroundings for possible threats, particularly when at intersections, and where possible advise your passenger to do the same.
• Refrain from using a cellphone while in your car.  Apart from being illegal, it is a driver's biggest distraction.
• Always keep your cellphone on your body, in case of being thrown out of the car

There are five stages of alert :

White :   when you are in your comfort zone, distracted and oblivious to your surroundings
Yellow : you are remotely aware but not perceiving danger
Orange : you are alert of non-specific danger
Red :      you are concerned and have reason to believe there is clear and present danger
Black :   you are under attack

Your vehicle :

• To be kept in good working order
• All valuables to be kept out of sight
• Weapons to be kept within reach
• Doors to be kept locked

Tactical driving when approaching an intersection :

• Reduce your speed slowly
• Pre-select your gears
• Maintain a "creep" distance between yourself and the car in front of you
• Constantly survey the area
• Allow for a survival space between yourself and the car in front of you once you have stopped
• Mentally prepare an escape plan
• When stopped, leave your car in first gear with your hand on the pulled up handbrake and your foot on the accelerator

What to do if a hijacker instructs you to exit your vehicle :

• Raise both hands to shoulder height (never higher as this draws attention to yourself which in turn draws attention to the hijacker who will then panic and react)
• Always keep your right hand up in defence position
• Use only your left hand when given instructions - release your seatbelt with your left hand and unlock and open your door with your left hand
• Slowly get out of your vehicle
• Tell the hijacker what you are doing as you perform each action
• Exit to the right, rear of the vehicle
• Do not attempt to make eye contact with the hijacker but instead keep your focus down while trying to observe any marks of identification
• Always answer the hijacker truthfully

What to do if the hijacker has a firearm pointed at you :

• Do not do anything to alarm the hijacker (eg. scream, try to hit the firearm from him)
• Never initiate any movement without instruction from the hijacker
• Obey all instructions
• Do not make eye contact
• Move your hands only when instructed

After the hijacking :

• Get to a safe place and report the incident immediately
• Seek professional intervention, particularly if a child/children were in the vehicle at the time
• Be aware of the signs and symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

 

We wish to thank Robert for his hugely informative workshop and encourage

community members to contact him on robert@emergencysa.com for further information.

 

Caring For Siblings of Children with Special Needs / Sibling Day April 2016

It goes without saying that caring for your child with special needs is a journey often filled with uncertainty, self-doubt and despair...all of which become more challenging when your child with special needs has neuro-typical siblings.  Knowing that those neuro-typical children often experience their own significant challenges as a result of having a brother or sister who is differently-abled, the Daniel and Friends Fund is passionate about dedicating a day, as often as we can, to "our siblings".  Exchanging bowling balls and pins for putt-putt clubs and the green this time round, the conservative couple of hours where the focus was just on the siblings was, yet again, a gesture rewarded with carefree smiles and a thoroughly enjoyable morning. 

Before we head off to the pictures, an informative and easy-read article from KidsHealth :

"As a parent, you want to give equal attention to all of your children. But when parenting a child with special needs, that can be hard. Your child with a disability needs you. But so do his or her siblings. It may feel like there's never enough of your attention to go around — and your other kids might begin to feel left out.  It can help to understand what your typically developing child or teen might be thinking and feeling. Kids love their siblings. They want to understand why there are some things that a sibling with a disability cannot do, and how they can help. By answering questions in an age-appropriate way and being open and honest, you can help ease worries, clear up any confusion, and maybe even give your other kids a chance to help out. Kids who feel understood, loved, and secure about their place in the family can thrive — and the bond between siblings can grow.
Here's what might come up with kids at different ages and stages of development.

Preschoolers (Ages 3 to 5)

By nature, preschoolers feel that everything is about them and what they want — from the game they want to play to the toy they ask for at the store. So helping them understand why a sibling might need more of your more time or attention can be hard.  It can help to set aside one-on-one time with your child. This can be a challenge, but even a few minutes spent playing ball or allowing your little one to "help" you in the kitchen at mealtime can provide the mommy or daddy time that your child needs.
When kids ask about their sibling's abilities, explain the condition using simple language in a way they can understand. Use real words, like "cerebral palsy" instead of "boo boo." This prevents confusion in kids who get their own cuts and scrapes — you don't want them to be overly concerned about a bump on the head.  Say something like, "Your brother has trouble walking because he has cerebral palsy." If your child asks, "What is cerebral palsy?," state in simple terms that it's a condition that makes it harder for a child to do the same things other kids do.  Kids this age are also "magical thinkers" — so, the drink poured at the tea party is very hot and the monsters under the bed are very real. When kids have a sibling with special needs, this type of thinking can mean that they worry that the disability is an illness, like the common cold. Reassure your child that he or she cannot "catch" a condition like cerebral palsy, and that nothing either child did created the condition — it is no one's "fault."

Big Kids (Ages 6 to 12)

By elementary school, kids start to better understand the "why" of a diagnosis. Expect that you will get more complicated questions, and don't be afraid to answer them.  For example, for questions about a sibling with limited mobility, your explanation might expand to "His legs don't work because he was born with a health problem." The next question might be, "Will he ever walk?," to which you need to answer honestly: "I don't know if he will, but we're going to try to help him do that. That's why he has therapy."  Your child might be sad or worried about his or her sibling's health. But playing together and enjoying each other's company can help. Encourage your typically developing child to read books to his or her sibling, build block towers together, and do craft activities with fingerpaint or clay.  This is also the age when kids start having to explain their sibling's condition to their friends. Some friends might ask rude questions or even participate in bullying behavior such as name-calling, which can leave your child feeling embarrassed, angry, or guilty.  You can help your child weather these encounters by rehearsing some conversations. If someone asks, "What's wrong with your sister?," for example, your child can simply say: "She has cerebral palsy." Or if a classmate uses an unkind term to describe the sibling with special needs, let your other kids know that as hard as it is, they must not act out in anger. Instead, help them explain the situation: "It's harder for my sister to learn new things than it is for you or me, but that doesn't make it OK to say mean things about her."  Sibling rivalry also builds at this age, so don't be surprised if kids act jealous of their brother or sister with special needs. After all, they see their sibling getting extra attention, or being allowed to stay up later or excused from doing chores.  Comparisons are normal, but explain that while it seems unfair, this is simply the way it has to be. Just as a child might feel that the sibling is getting extra attention, there are many opportunities that the sibling with special needs cannot have. Fair does not always mean equal.

Teens (Ages 13 and Up)

During the teen years, siblings often feel increased pressure to care for their siblings with special needs. You might rely on your teen to babysit or help more with chores around the house. Teens might feel pressure to take on more responsibility than they should at this age.
As a parent, make sure you are not asking too much of your teen. Make certain responsibilities, such as babysitting, a choice. This will help teens feel that they have control over how much they help out. For example: "It would be great if you could watch your sister, but if you want to go out with your friends, that's OK."  Also, be sure that you don't expect too much when it comes to chores, schoolwork, or extracurricular activities. Typically developing children sometimes feel extra pressure to be perfect so that their parents don't have to worry about them.  Teens are struggling with their independence from parents. And a teen who has a sibling with special needs also may struggle with the idea of life apart from that sibling. Let your teen know that wanting more independence and experiencing more of the world is normal, healthy, and encouraged, within safe limits.  As teens near adulthood, they might start to worry about the future, and wonder who is going to help care for the sibling once they've moved out — or if something happens to you. Reassure your teen that whatever the future holds, help with caring for his or her sibling will depend on how much your teen is comfortable taking on. Then, have a plan ready for when changes come that will benefit all members of the family.

Handling Strong Emotions

Just as parenting a child with special needs can be joyful and frustrating, kids and teens who have a brother or sister with special needs will have ups and downs.  Some siblings roll with the punches and don't let much bother them, while others are more sensitive and take things to heart. These kids need healthy ways to work through their emotions. Writing in a journal, being physically active, or participating in creative arts like dance or music are good ways to handle strong emotions.  But if you notice changes in your child's sleep routine, appetite, mood, or behavior, it could be a sign of anxiety, depression, or another problem. If this happens, seek help from a mental health professional for your child."

 

 

Dad, Toby, taking on both sons...Caleb and Troy. Troy ready

with his "game face".

 

And from the get-go it was down to serious competitive business

with the dads as Bernard Smit gentle coaxes his ball along.

 

One of the many benefits of our Sibling Day - to encourage

siblings to form bonds with other siblings...sometimes simply

knowing that there is someone experiencing the same things

you are going through, is a comfort all on its own.

 

A bit of precious one-on-one coaching between

father and son.

Nina's lovely champion, Saskia...at Daniel and Friends Fund

friendship knows no age difference.

And the overall winner of the day - Well Done Daniel Smit!

 



Victor Goosen...a story of hope and courage

Eight-year old Victor Goosen, from Ubbena in the Netherlands, had to come all the way to Cape Town for a chance to survive…and this thanks to the intervention of a well-known and much-loved paediatrician, Professor Pieter Fourie. 

Victor and his parents, Alida and Martin, flew back to Netherlands on Sunday the 13^th March after the successful medical care and treatment they received at Cape Gate Mediclinic.  Victor, who is diagnosed with multiple neurological disabilities, was denied a life-saving Tracheotomy by two major academic hospitals in the Netherlands, apparently because of his severe disabilities.  With euthanasia being legal in Netherlands it was implied by medical staff that it would be in Victor's best interest to simply make him comfortable and let him pass away, even though this is something Victor’s parents would never have considered.  Alida shares that the medical team’s argument for not granting Victor the much-needed Tracheotomy just did not make sense and they gave the Goosens the impression that they were not being entirely honest with them and felt that just making Victor comfortable would be enough.  Victor is in a wheelchair and although he cannot move his arms and legs, he could always breathe on his own.  On the 22^nd November 2015 Alida and Martin had to rush Victor to hospital with a 39˚C temperature.  He was in distress, was blue around the mouth and kept having apnoea episodes.  Nothing helped ease Victor’s condition and after several tests and examinations doctors could not find the cause of Victor’s ailments.  An MRI scan showed that Victor’s brain had shrunk, indicating regression in Victor’s condition.  Victor’s breathing deteriorated so severely that doctors said they did not know how much longer his body would cope.  On the 6^th December 2015 Victor was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit where he was sedated and placed on a ventilator.  It was later established that Victor’s tongue muscles had collapsed and were creating pressure on his vocal chords, creating an airway obstruction.  As a result of this, Victor could not breathe on his own and the oxygen-deprivation was resulting in anxiety and dystonia attacks.  Alida and Martin, dedicated themselves to extensive research and realised that a Tracheotomy was Victor’s only chance of survival but when they approached Victor’s doctors with their information, were met with heart-wrenching resistance and opposition, even being told by one doctor that a Tracheotomy for a disabled child was not an option and the only thing they would achieve by pursuing the Tracheotomy would be further deterioration.  The medical team advised Alida and Martin that they would continue treating Victor’s dystonia with medication while he was still connected to life-support but that their decision regarding the Tracheotomy was not negotiable.  Out of desperation the Goosens travelled to Germany to look for support and found it at a hospital in Essen who agreed to do the surgery.  However, shortly thereafter Essen received notification from the hospital in the Netherlands that should the medical team in Essen go ahead with the surgery, the hospital in Netherlands would not be prepared to offer Victor any further medical care, particularly not post-operative.  Alida and Martin were devastated.  Their child’s life hung by a thread and they were powerless to help him. 

On the 28^th of December 2015 Alida received a MESSAGE OF HOPE by way of an sms from Professor Fourie.  She recalls with tears in her eyes that it is a message she will never forget.  In the sms Pieter told Alida that he was coming to fetch Victor…that he would pay for the airfare himself and that he would ventilate Victor by hand for the twelve-hour flight.  Those who know Pieter Fourie’s dedication and passion for his patients, know that this was no light-hearted gesture from Pieter.  He would...and could...do just that. 

Alida grew up in Bellville, Cape Town where she met her husband, Martin, while he was visiting South Africa.  After they’d married the Goosens moved to the Netherlands.  When Victor was a baby, Alida met Professor Fourie when she visited family in 2008 and was concerned about Victor’s failure to thrive.  Professor Fourie was convinced that Victor had an underlying syndrome put could not quite settle on a diagnosis, something no-one has yet been able to do.  Amongst other conditions, Victor has microcephaly and at eight year’s old his development is assessed on par with that of a nine-month old baby.  Victor, however, understands everything that is going on around him and is extremely sensitive to his environment. 

Pieter Fourie’s sms on that glorious day was the first gesture of hope for Alida and Martin…they felt strengthened by the fact that there was at least one doctor who was prepared to stand up with them and fight for their child’s life.    

After the airline refused to allow an oxygen-dependant traveller on board, the Goosens were faced with yet another obstacle.  With an air ambulance costing a daunting one million rand, the Goosens sent out a plea for help and were astounded by the reaction from friends and family who raised the amount within an extremely short period of time and on the 4^th January 2016 Victor landed at Cape Town International Airport and was personally met by Professor Fourie.  Victor was transported to Cape Gate Mediclinic where his treatment began immediately. 

Alida and Martin were shocked when Professor  Fourie advised them that Victor’s bloodstream indicated a severe overdose of sedatives, which had been given to him in the Netherlands while connected to the ventilator.  On the 10^th January 2016 Victor underwent life-saving surgery to place the Tracheotomy.  The operation was successful and Victor’s parents were amazed at how quickly he recuperated.  Victor could breathe on his own once again, the anxiety/apnoea attacks had disappeared and it was not long before Victor was laughing and communicating again.  “Professor Fourie proved everyone wrong and my child is alive today.  There are no words which could do justice to how grateful I am to him!” – Alida.  Lianie le Roux, a registered nurse who works for Professor Fourie gave Alida comprehensive instruction on how to change Victor’s trachea on a daily basis.

Professor Fourie shares that in such complicated instances, medical knowledge and experience are second to crisis management and obtaining a consensus which is in the best interest of the child.  “You, as a doctor, are on the same path of discovery as your patient and their parents and there are many daunting challenges to be confronted.  The success of such cases depends on how close you allow yourself to become to the situation and how well you listen.  You keep yourself as close to the heartbeat of the matter as you can.  And you listen…without laying your own opinions on the table…and then you listen again, until you have reached the point where a consensual decision has been made that you are 100% certain of.  And only then do you give your instruction…and pray…until the next crisis”.

 

Lianie, Alida, Victor, Sam and I

Two Years Strong

On the 30th of January 2016, the Daniel and Friends Fund celebrated two years of a journey so incredible, few could have anticipated it. Having started with barely 20 families on our register, to 70 families a mere twenty-four months later, provides the ultimate testimony as to the profound role the Fund plays in the special needs community.

The last year especially has seen not only the realisation of a dream...our special needs community growing stronger and more intimate indeed...but has also seen our moms flourish as individuals, as the support, encouragement and inspiration they draw from their fellow DFF moms lends them the confidence and courage to follow their dreams and aspirations, often dreams and aspirations born from having a child who is differently-abled.

Despite the previous twelve months having seemed somewhat packed with all sorts of wonderful events like our super-successful Gatsby-themed Ladies Tea, the group physiotherapy session, an inspirational talk on maintaining a healthy marriage when parenting a differently-abled child, our first-ever sibling day at Grand West, art-jamming, the fantastic CPR Course presented by Michelle Phillips of Synchronize Systems which was an open, community-based event offered at an outrageous 80% discount, several costume-yielding charity walks, our first three house-markets and and...the upcoming year promises to be even more spectacular!

With firm favourites making it onto this year's program as well...art-jamming, CPR Courses, Sibling Day, our annual Ladies' Tea, children's theatre productions and even more fun-walks...we are beyond excited to be able to add a few new and amazing events.  Kicking our community-based events up a notch, we are thrilled to have added a First Aid Course, Anti-hijacking Course and Basic Self-defence Course to our calendar. A "Mom Care" Course has also been added which will be focused on instructing moms how to limit physical strain and injury to their bodies while caring for their disabled child and this will be beautifully complimented by a fun-filled, yet professional session on how to incorporate a brief but effective exercise regime into the daily routine of our busy time-restrained moms.  We will be working hand-in-hand with another wonderful charity organisation called I Am Special Ministries to host the first ever "Touching The Heart" Gala event which will take place on the 16th June at the picturesque Val de Vie Estate and will see local celebrities, like Hannes van Wyk from the popular tv show Kwela as MC for the evening, offering their time and commitment to ensuring the event will be a mind-blowing success.  

The one project which stands out for us this year is without a doubt our first-ever Legacy Project called "Something In A Box" which takes place on the 28th May and will become an annual, major fundraising event based on the popular tv gameshow "Minute To Win It".

Fill in the gaps with a number of Awareness Day get-togethers, a family paintballing afternoon, picnics, the introduction of our school awareness program, a lovely Spring Dance and one or two items more and you have the makings of our most awesome year yet!

A beautifully-decorated and delicious cake

to sweeten the celebrations at our anniversary

dinner which was so well-attended it brought

a tear (or two) to the eye. 

Our lovely Social Commitee whose passion and 

commitment will be an invaluable resource in

accomplishing all we hope to in 2017.

Back : Janet Strumpher, Kharshifa Isaacs and Justine Quinn

Front (left) : Lizel Ann Smit

We were honoured to have one of our beautiful 

Ambassadors, Minki Burger, join us for the evening