Judge Vuka Tshabalala, left, Vivian Reddy and Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike at the official opening of the facility
Image: SUPPLIED
THE Sibaya Community Trust has handed over an upgraded six bed accommodation facility to CANSA KZN, helping cancer patients who travel to Durban for specialised treatment access a safe place to stay.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Vivian Reddy, Founder and Chairman of Sibaya Community Trust, said the project was about far more than infrastructure.
“It is about people, dignity, compassion and hope. It is about recognising that when someone is fighting cancer, their battle does not begin and end in a hospital ward,” he said.
“Cancer touches virtually every one of us. Very few families can say that they have not been affected by this devastating illness.
“Many of us have experienced the heartbreak of losing someone we love to this disease,” Reddy added. He said for patients who lived far from Durban, accessing treatment could be an enormous challenge.
“Many have to travel considerable distances to access specialised medical care and may need to remain in the city for a week or longer.
“At a time when a person is already physically and emotionally vulnerable, the last thing they should have to worry about is: Where will I sleep? How will I get to my treatment? Can my family afford to keep me here?” Reddy added.
“That is why we are proud that Sibaya Community Trust has been able to contribute towards the upgrading of this facility and create additional capacity for six patients to be accommodated.” Investing in lasting social infrastructure Reddy said the handover reflected the philosophy that haD guided Sibaya Community Trust for many years.
“We believe that philanthropy must go beyond once-off assistance. We believe in building infrastructure that creates a lasting benefit. A facility such as this can give a cancer patient a safe and dignified place to stay while receiving life-saving treatment. That is what we mean when we speak about social infrastructure,” he said.
Strengthening organisations on the ground
Reddy said another important area of the Trust's work was its support for non-profit organisations and community-based organisations.
“Across communities, hundreds of organisations are doing extraordinary work in areas including hunger, poverty, disability, healthcare, education, gender-based violence, child welfare and community development.
“Many of these organisations operate quietly and with very limited resources. They are often the first people a vulnerable family turns to when they have nowhere else to go. Sibaya Community Trust believes that supporting these organisations is an investment in the communities we serve," he said.
** Almost R300 million invested in social upliftment **
Reddy said Sibaya Community Trust's humanitarian and social upliftment programme has supported more than 200 beneficiaries, with an investment approaching R300 million.
This investment has extended across infrastructure development, healthcare, education, disability support, youth empowerment, NPOs, community development, poverty alleviation and humanitarian assistance.
“While the figure is significant, I believe the real measure of our work is not the amount of money that has been spent. The real measure is the lives that have been touched,” he added.
**Deputy minister commends the initiative **
The handover was attended by Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike.
Letsike expressed her delight at the heart-warming initiative and commended Reddy for the extensive humanitarian work being undertaken under his leadership.
She highlighted the importance of facilities such as the CANSA KZN centre and called on other corporates to support projects that provide meaningful assistance to vulnerable communities.
She further emphasised that every person deserves to be cared for with dignity and commended CANSA KZN for the remarkable work it continues to do in supporting cancer patients.
**CANSA: ‘A much-needed facility’ **
Lisa Strydom, National Manager: Care and Support at CANSA, thanked Sibaya Community Trust for the upgraded facility, saying the additional accommodation was much needed for patients travelling from distant areas to receive treatment away from their places of residence.
She spoke about the range of services provided by CANSA and the support patients receive, including accommodation and other essential forms of assistance.
Strydom also highlighted the ongoing need for more facilities of this nature, particularly for adolescents living with cancer, who have specific support and care requirements.
A patient's story Cancer patient Zimasa Nyikinya-Myeki shared her personal experience of living with cancer and the many challenges associated with the disease.
She spoke about how CANSA KZN had made her journey significantly easier by providing access to accommodation, meals and transportation to and from treatment.
Her story highlighted the importance of holistic patient support and demonstrated how organisations such as CANSA can make an enormous difference to patients and their families during one of the most difficult periods of their lives.
**A place of dignity, care and hope **
The newly upgraded six-bed facility represents more than additional accommodation.
It provides cancer patients travelling to Durban with a safe place to stay, while reducing some of the financial and emotional burdens associated with accessing treatment far from home.
For Sibaya Community Trust, the project is another example of its commitment to creating sustainable social infrastructure and partnering with organisations that are making a difference in the lives of vulnerable people.
CANSA KZN is situated at 619 Umbilo Road, Durban.
