Sisters make hospital a happier place
2009-05-28
Liezl Dyson
THE Joshua Project, a project that concentrates on providing activity centres for various hospitals in and around the Western Cape recently brightened the lives of children in Paarl Hospital. The Joshua Project donated much needed toys, including colouring in pictures and crayons, educational puzzles, legos, a television and various other items together with women’s clothing for the children’s division to Paarl Hospital. The hospital has an ongoing need for clothing to give to those mothers whose children are unexpectedly admitted and who come from afar without the necessary clothing or toiletries. Two sisters, Charmain Riley and Siobhan Wedgwood, both mom’s and founders of the project, decided to start the project to help make children’s stay in hospitals a little less traumatic. “We are so thankful for all the gifts we received. It will help greatly with the separation anxiety of children who have to stay in the hospital for long periods,” Matron Alida Hamman of Paarl Hospital said. Hamman said that this will be a great way to help the children think of something else, rather than their illness or reason for being hospitalised. Riley is a kangaroo mother that cares for premature babies that are homeless. During the time she looked after a baby called Joshua in Tygerberg Hospital, she saw how little there is to do for children lying in hospital for weeks on end. “Siobhan and I talked about the situation and decided to decorate the playroom on the floor where Joshua was.” According to Riley the response to the request for donations was so overwhelming that they decided to do more wards in the hospital. This is also when they decided to start the Joshua Project. Riley said that they are in the process of registering as a non-profit organisation. She said what motivates her the most is to see the face of a child who is scared and in pain, light up when they receive a soft toy or a blanket. “There is no better gift than to give.” According to Wedgwood they are trying to get together a big enough “soft toy bank” so that they can provide each child admitted to hospital with his or her own soft toy. Wedgwood, who lives in Paarl, said they do an investigation of each ward, as to the age of the children as well as what illnesses they have, and according to this they set up a wish list for every specific playroom. The project also has a pram bank and clothing bank, as well as a baby blanket bank. The two sisters collect all the items they donate from various donors and if the rooms need decoration they are not afraid to get their hands dirty. The biggest project they are yet to embark upon this year, is the Rape Crisis Centre at Worcester Hospital. For more information, contact Siobhan Wedgwood on 082-5785-082 or you can visit www.thejoshua project.co.za.
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