Five years ago Stepping Stone Hospice & Care Services opened its first In-Patient Unit in New Market Park on Wednesday the 9th October 2013.
And now, adding to the list of milestones, is the pouring of concrete of 78 pillars that will hold the extension of the In-Patient Unit in New Market Park.
The combined efforts of Kim Scanell from Grayston Travel, Russell Cruickshank from Cornerstone Projects, Thersea Corrigan from SCS Architects, Francois du Plooy, a town and regional planner, and a fantastic team of sponsors and donors will see the In-Patient Unit extend from an 8-bed to a 14-bed unit.
When the call came from Kim that she wishes to donate a 435sqm, second-hand park home, previously used as offices, to the hospice, the team at Stepping Stone Hospice, accepted the offer without hesitation.
“Everything just seemed to have fallen in place from thereon,” Tersia Burger, CEO at Stepping Stone Hospice explains. Russell Cruickshank from Cornerstone Projects has come on board to get this project going and to oversee the transformation of this dilapidated building into a first-class facility for our patients. He has committed his time and expertise to see the project through and to facilitate funding.
The hospice opened its In-Patient Unit in October 2013, at the time offering 3 wards. With some serious fundraising efforts and especially from the hospice 947 Cycle Team, the unit was increased to 8 wards in 2015.
“Demand for our services, and especially a children’s ward, has necessitated a further extension and whilst we explored several options, funding always remained a huge issue,” says Tersia. Kim has lost close friends to cancer, many of them looked after by the staff at Stepping Stone Hospice. “So when it came to making a decision as to where the park home should go to, I had no hesitation in donating it to hospice,” Kim says.
Strengthening our Pillars
Whilst several sponsors have already come on board to assist with the renovation and furnishing of the new unit, the hospice will need more funding, especially taken into account that a hospital bed, without the mattress, can easily cost up to R25 000.
In an effort to raise the funds needed and to be added to the existing Brick Fund, Stepping Stone Hospice is launching their “Strengthening our Pillars” campaign. “We offer families, individuals, businesses, community groups, an opportunity to sponsor a pillar for R5000. Each of the 78 pillars represents a month in the Stepping Stone Hospice history – since January 2013 till September 2018 – 69 months – 1148 patients who passed away over the period under our care. The remaining 9 pillars are and will be in memory of those currently in our care.
On completion of the project, adjacent to our Brick by Brick Memory wall, will be the Strengthening our Pillars memory wall, listing the names of those who have passed away and the name of the sponsor of each pillar.
If you are interested in participating in this campaign, kindly contact Marietjie Tame on 082 337 5713 or mail her: marietjie@steppingstonehospice.co.za who will provide you with all the necessary information you may require.
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