LADYSMITH COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Since 1997, we have provided essential services to the community at no cost, assisting over 400 patients each month with high-quality palliative care despite limited resources. We are deeply grateful for the Ladysmith community’s support, which enables us to conduct home visits through locally based caregivers and offer thoughtful gestures like gift vouchers to cancer patients, enhancing their care experience..

1. What are the obstacles that you may have had to overcome to achieve these?

Limited volunteers and limited membership.

2. What would you still like to achieve?

Increase the number of volunteers to provide additional support.

3. What assistance would assist you in achieving this?

• Increase community awareness through targeted initiatives and outreach programs.
• Engage with community stakeholders to collaboratively address the needs of all members.

A QUALIFIED SISTER
The addition of a qualified sister overseeing caregivers has significantly improved the scope and quality of our services, with caregiver training and supervision now guided by a Professional Nurse. We are proud to be affiliated with APCC and HAKZN, currently holding a rating of 3, and are working towards achieving an even higher rating in the near future.

1. What are the obstacles that you may have had to overcome to achieve these?

Staff instability due to non-market related salaries.

2. What would you still like to achieve?

Ensure that all patients enrolled in the program are palliative care patients.

3. What assistance would assist you in achieving this?

• Increase community awareness through targeted initiatives and outreach programs.
• Engage with community stakeholders to collaboratively address the needs of all members.

FUNDRAISER INITIATIVES
We are incredibly grateful for the unwavering support of the Ladysmith community, whose generous donations to our charity shop help cover utility expenses. Fundraising initiatives like Hamburger Saturdays at our local SPAR and 4×4 events also play a crucial role in sustaining our operations. Additionally, we are privileged to use our premises free of charge, with the building generously donated monthly at a value of R19,000, and our Wi-Fi and telephone expenses fully covered through kind monthly contributions.

1. What are the obstacles that you may have had to overcome to achieve these?

Challenges as regards fundraising.

2. What would you still like to achieve?

Raise awareness throughout Ladysmith to reach and assist more critically ill patients.

3. What assistance would assist you in achieving this?

• Increase community awareness through targeted initiatives and outreach programs.
• Engage with community stakeholders to collaboratively address the needs of all members.

THE ROBERT SOBUKWE SCHOOL OF ACADEMY COLLABORATION
Our collaboration with the Robert Sobukwe School of Academy enables us to offer valuable in-service training to their students, fostering growth and knowledge exchange. Additionally, strong partnerships with various departments, NGOs, and community-based organisations empower us to deliver efficient, effective, and holistic care that prioritizes the well-being of our clients. Subsidies from the Department of Health, along with monthly cash donations from a supportive business, provide critical funding to sustain our operations and services.

1. What are the obstacles that you may have had to overcome to achieve these?

• We do not have a social worker employed at Ladysmith Hospice. Lack of subsidisation for social work post.
• Lack of funding in rendering optimal services, especially to category 3 patients.

2. What would you still like to achieve?

Secure more funding to procure medical and nutritional supplies for patient care and to enable salary increase for staff.

3. What assistance would assist you in achieving this?

• Increase community awareness through targeted initiatives and outreach programs.
• Engage with community stakeholders to collaboratively address the needs of all members.