Businesses help cancer sufferers

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Nine years ago, a breast cancer survivor from George, Adri van Nieuwenhuizen, got involved with Pink Trees For Pauline (PTFP), an NGO that wraps trees in pink and then uses the funds generated to help people with cancer.

Adri has built relationships with people in more than 100 towns in South Africa as well as abroad. One of these relationships is with a warm-hearted business woman of Mossel Bay, Shirley Schmidt.

Shirley, who has many overseas clients, came on board with the PTFP 2020 golf day in Mossel Bay

"Combining fun, support and buy-in from clients and colleagues alike have cemented a relationship with Pink Trees for Pauline. The focus on helping those who suffer and the way in which the NPO sensitively approaches both people and projects have provided Afrishore with a platform to get involved with providing for local needs," she says.

According to her the stepping in as a sponsor for the PTFP annual golf day has been both exciting and a two-way street as it assists Afrishore in bringing its international and national clients to our beautiful town. Some of the projects funded include the paying of school fees to ease the financial burden for a family that has suffered depletion of household funds due to cancer- related issues.

Another project entailed the beautifying and modernising of a Mossel Bay care centre, @Peace, with the help of a kind business owner Pieter van Vuuren of Object Furniture and his team.

They moved into @Peace and beautified the reception area by painting the walls, adding a rug and some scatter cushions and they recovered the ottoman.

The wards were also tackled, with a curtain hung between the two wards, the rearranging and adding of pictures and the recovering of patient chairs.

A new room division screen as well as a washing and medicine trolley were donated. The staff room was repainted and the dining chairs recovered.

Funds have also been used to restore hope and dignity to women who have suffered physically from cancer.

"We will continue our journey with this amasing NPO that channels funds raised to the source of the needs and tirelessly continues to seek new avenues for raising still more sustainable funding." Shirley says.

Of all funds, 80% is used for improving the quality of life of those living with cancer within the participating towns. The funds are normally used to pay for accommodation during cancer treatment, home nursing, feeding schemes for cancer-affected patients, wigs, prostheses and wheelchairs, as well as transport.

To get involved, contact Adri (082 460 6386) or visit www.pinktrees.co.za.

The reception area at @Peace has been beautified by businessman Peter van Vuuren and his team from Object Furniture.