Starting tomorrow (Thursday 22 May) two Cape Town women will be embarking on the renowned Camino de Santiago pilgrimage from Porto in Portugal, to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, in a bid to raise much-needed funds for the Tygerberg Hospital Children’s Trust and in so doing, help support the tiny patients being treated at the hospital.
One of those who will be undertaking the 270km walk is Louise Theron, chief executive of the trust. Joining her is her long-time friend, Leone Malan.
Blisters for Babies
The duo sets off today and is expected to complete their journey on Friday 6 June. Their walk forms part of the Blisters for Babies campaign which the public is encouraged to support by donating to the cause.
Carrying their own backpacks and walking an average of 20km per day, they will follow one of the official Camino de Compostela routes, famed for its physical challenge and spiritual significance, says Theron.
She says what began as a personal spiritual journey for the two women has now become a heartfelt fundraising mission as they walk the 270km across the Iberian Peninsula.
Theron says they plan to light candles in cathedrals, churches and chapels along the way and pray for the tiny patients in Tygerberg Hospital, as well as the doctors, nurses and supporting staff who care for them.
Theron saw the pilgrimage as the perfect opportunity to raise both awareness and funds to support Tygerberg Hospital’s neonatal and paediatric units.
“We are sponsoring the entire journey ourselves. Every blister and every step is for the babies,” she explains.
Tygerberg Hospital is the second-largest hospital in South Africa and serves over 50% of child patients in the greater Cape Metro and surrounding areas, according to Ashley Chetty, director of MVC Consulting who has been appointed the official fundraising company to the Tygerberg Hospital Children’s Trust.
The children’s trust supports Tygerberg Hospital across four vital pillars: Neonatology (caring for newborns), Specialised Care, General Paediatrics, and Social Development – including support for the Tygerberg Hospital School.
The campaign aims to raise R1,2 million, with funds earmarked for much-needed paediatric equipment at the neonatal and paediatric unit, says Theron. The name “Blisters for Babies” came naturally after the duo suffered several foot injuries while training for the walk. “But we keep the tiny babies in our mind’s eye and continue to walk – blisters and all,” says Theron.
Malan is an entrepreneur who owns a furniture factory in the Helderberg Basin and serves as a dedicated volunteer for Tygerberg Hospital Children’s Trust. The two have worked together on numerous outreach missions over the past 20 years, always with a shared passion for improving the lives of children. Both are mothers and grandmothers, says Theron.
Donations
They departed on 19 May for Porto with the walk officially beginning on Thursday 22 May. Both Theron and Malan are encouraging the public to support their campaign by making a donation. “We appeal to everyone to invest in the lives of our children. They are, after all, our future,” says Theron.
MVC Consulting says saving these babies’ lives is what should be of utmost importance right now. “Us appealing to our fellow South Africans to help Tygerberg Hospital get the best life saving equipment is pivotal for the thousands of babies being born prematurely, infected, or suffering from serious congenital conditions,” the statement reads.
To make a donation to the Blisters for Babies campaign visit www.tygerbergchildren.org.za/donate/
