Increase Paediatric Palliative Care in KZN, SA

As another year starts we at Umduduzi – Hospice Care for Children are preparing for another big year. 2022 was a difficult year for the province that we work in due to the severe flooding that occurred. Many of our families’ homes were devastated during the flooding and if possible their lives became even harder.

2022 saw us providing care for nearly 300 new children and their families. This does not include all those children from previous years that we are still providing care too. Many of those little ones are no longer with us and as a team the immensity of that struck as all as we sat with our families around the Christmas lunch table.

We are unsure what 2023 holds for us but we know that we will be continuing the invaluable work that we are doing and that this is made possible by all those who donate to us through various formats. We do know that there are some exciting new additions to our work. We will be welcoming a neonatologist with palliative care experience into the team. She will be assisting pregnant mothers who have received devastating ante-natal diagnoses make difficult decisions and be there to counsel and support them. We will also be welcoming an additional social worker who will be assisting with the bereavement work. Both of these are crucial services that will only enhance the care we are providing those we work with.

As an organization, we will also be assisting our provincial Department of Health in developing more palliative care aware hospitals throughout the province. Champions have been identified in the various regions within the province and Umduduzi will be running the training with them. This will widen the knowledge of palliative care and help us provide more services to those in need.

Thank you to all for your continued support in 2022. We hope that 2023 will be a year full of love and kindness.