THANK YOU & FEEDBACK
The Foundation would like to thank each and every Healing Kids beneficiary, our various partners and service providers, participating hospital administrators, clinicians and nursing staff, the fundraising units, their support teams and volunteers, as well as the following for their special contributions made to the project:
As the initial three-year cycle allocated to the Healing Kids project draws to a close, the Board of Trustees will be considering an extension of this worthy development initiative, both in memory of the late Dr Carl and Mrs Emily Fuchs and in celebration of 40 years of grantmaking by the Foundation created in their names.
- the guidance and advice from the Medical Research Council of SA
- the administrative support provided by One Life to Live
- the neuro-development specialist training rendered by Little Steps, and
- the enthusiastic dedication of the SA Breastmilk Reserve.
As the initial three-year cycle allocated to the Healing Kids project draws to a close, the Board of Trustees will be considering an extension of this worthy development initiative, both in memory of the late Dr Carl and Mrs Emily Fuchs and in celebration of 40 years of grantmaking by the Foundation created in their names.
A WORD FROM OUR BENEFICIARIES
"...where formula feeds were the backbone of our feeding policy, we have succeeded to establish breast milk as the mainstay of our feeding practice..."
"...since the CPAP drivers were introduced, the number of premature babies that needed ventilation and the days spent on a ventilator were dramatically reduced..."
"...the ward was converted into a KMC unit with thirty incubators, twenty beds for mothers, phototherapy lamps, infusion pumps, etc... resulting in a decreased morbidity and mortality in low birth weight infants; staff morale has improved greatly... many stories could be told by the milk bank of how little lives have been saved when they were at their most vulnerable and their mothers too ill to feed them..."
"...the acquisition of this equipment facilitated a position in the unit where we no longer have to defer respiratory support from any child- indeed a massive leap forward... overall, the project increased the level of natural mothering, decreased invasive procedures as well as complications, the length of stay and mortality..."
"...Healing Kids has become a vehicle for miracles in the lives of thousands of desperately ill children in the Free State and the Foundation should be lauded for their unwavering support..."
"...a grant from the Foundation has made all the difference...this included securing contributions such as the Echo Cardiac Machine for children with severe heart conditions..."
"...we have been able to provide open heart surgery to these underprivileged children due to your incredible support and generosity - our success is the fruit of yours..."
"...none of this would have been possible without the generosity of the Foundation, along with the continued guidance that you are offering to our Trust..."
"...funding from the Foundation has enabled us to become - virtually overnight - a mother-friendly neonatal unit... we now have the largest mother-lodger facility in the country (state and private hospitals inclusive)..."
"...the presence of kangaroo care, additional equipment, more training and better working conditions have raised our staff morale... we are confident that statistics will soon show that this has certainly made a difference to the outcomes of our babies and their families..."
"...the neonatal unit is now for all intents and purposes self-sufficient... thank you for keeping our dream alive..."
"...our NMR has decreased; the incidence of infant-related deaths decreased by 30% and the Healing Kids initiative has generated at least two research projects..."
"...a further benefit that the training has had, is the improved staff morale within the unit which has translated into better patient care..."
"...these extra high-care beds with equipment have not only increased access for the babies, but acted as a catalyst for achieving buy-in and support from hospital management.... with the greatest benefits achieved in hospitals beyond the tertiary and regional borders..."
"...unlike other neonatal units in the country, we had no KMC facility... since we were blessed to have received the Healing Kids funding, we have trained ninety-three mothers in flash-heating during the past eight months..."
"...according to all the audits that have been carried out to date, there has been a marked improvement in our neonatal care..."
"...support such as this has not only highlighted the plight of so many needy children with repairable heart defects, but also helped make a life-saving difference to these children..."
"...thank you for your valuable contribution to the ultimate goal of delivering a state-of-the-art children's surgical service to the children of Gauteng..."
"...in the face of this dire emergency, the courage and foresight of the Fuchs Foundation is to be commended..."
"...Dear Dr Kahn ...were it not for your new CPAP machine, my premature baby of 900g at birth would not have survived: how could I ever thank you enough?...."
"...Dear Prof Hoek ...my baby stayed on the oscillator for seventeen days, then the ventilator and then CPAP for a week... my heart was filled with joy when I finally knew for sure: he was going to make it! "
"....in the last eight months we have trained ninety-three mothers in flash-heating. The first HIV-infected mother to be trained continued once her infant was discharged.... he has grown beautifully and is HIV-negative. The mother volunteered to come back to the nursery where she now teaches other mothers how to flash-heat..."
Prof Beyers Hoek, Universitas Hospital
Dr Pieter Jooste, Kimberley Hospital Complex
Prof Gert Kirsten, Tygerberg Children's Hospital
Dr Marlize Kunneke, Worcester Hospital
Prof Andre Venter, Beds of Hope
Prof Dania Ballot, Wits Paediatric Fund
Dr Murray Davidson, The Biokanyo Foundation
Dr Bhavna Patel, Groote Schuur Neonatal Newborns Trust
Prof Susan Delport, Kalafong Hospital
Prof Keith Bolton, Rahima Moosa Mother & Child Hospital
Prof Robin Green, Steve Biko Academic Hospital
Dr Annelie van der Vyver, Pelonomi Hospital
Dr Farhaad Kahn, Dora Nginza Hospital
Dr Neil McKerrow, Greys Hospital
Prof Miriam Adhikari, King Edward Hospital
Dr Elmarie Malek, Witbank Hospital
Dr Robin Kinsley, Walter Sisulu Paediatric Cardiac Centre for Africa
Prof Peter Beale, Surgikids
EP Herald, September 2008
Mrs N, Port Elizabeth
Mrs M, Bloemfontein
Prof Anna Coutsoudis, King Edward Hospital
"...where formula feeds were the backbone of our feeding policy, we have succeeded to establish breast milk as the mainstay of our feeding practice..."
"...since the CPAP drivers were introduced, the number of premature babies that needed ventilation and the days spent on a ventilator were dramatically reduced..."
"...the ward was converted into a KMC unit with thirty incubators, twenty beds for mothers, phototherapy lamps, infusion pumps, etc... resulting in a decreased morbidity and mortality in low birth weight infants; staff morale has improved greatly... many stories could be told by the milk bank of how little lives have been saved when they were at their most vulnerable and their mothers too ill to feed them..."
"...the acquisition of this equipment facilitated a position in the unit where we no longer have to defer respiratory support from any child- indeed a massive leap forward... overall, the project increased the level of natural mothering, decreased invasive procedures as well as complications, the length of stay and mortality..."
"...Healing Kids has become a vehicle for miracles in the lives of thousands of desperately ill children in the Free State and the Foundation should be lauded for their unwavering support..."
"...a grant from the Foundation has made all the difference...this included securing contributions such as the Echo Cardiac Machine for children with severe heart conditions..."
"...we have been able to provide open heart surgery to these underprivileged children due to your incredible support and generosity - our success is the fruit of yours..."
"...none of this would have been possible without the generosity of the Foundation, along with the continued guidance that you are offering to our Trust..."
"...funding from the Foundation has enabled us to become - virtually overnight - a mother-friendly neonatal unit... we now have the largest mother-lodger facility in the country (state and private hospitals inclusive)..."
"...the presence of kangaroo care, additional equipment, more training and better working conditions have raised our staff morale... we are confident that statistics will soon show that this has certainly made a difference to the outcomes of our babies and their families..."
"...the neonatal unit is now for all intents and purposes self-sufficient... thank you for keeping our dream alive..."
"...our NMR has decreased; the incidence of infant-related deaths decreased by 30% and the Healing Kids initiative has generated at least two research projects..."
"...a further benefit that the training has had, is the improved staff morale within the unit which has translated into better patient care..."
"...these extra high-care beds with equipment have not only increased access for the babies, but acted as a catalyst for achieving buy-in and support from hospital management.... with the greatest benefits achieved in hospitals beyond the tertiary and regional borders..."
"...unlike other neonatal units in the country, we had no KMC facility... since we were blessed to have received the Healing Kids funding, we have trained ninety-three mothers in flash-heating during the past eight months..."
"...according to all the audits that have been carried out to date, there has been a marked improvement in our neonatal care..."
"...support such as this has not only highlighted the plight of so many needy children with repairable heart defects, but also helped make a life-saving difference to these children..."
"...thank you for your valuable contribution to the ultimate goal of delivering a state-of-the-art children's surgical service to the children of Gauteng..."
"...in the face of this dire emergency, the courage and foresight of the Fuchs Foundation is to be commended..."
"...Dear Dr Kahn ...were it not for your new CPAP machine, my premature baby of 900g at birth would not have survived: how could I ever thank you enough?...."
"...Dear Prof Hoek ...my baby stayed on the oscillator for seventeen days, then the ventilator and then CPAP for a week... my heart was filled with joy when I finally knew for sure: he was going to make it! "
"....in the last eight months we have trained ninety-three mothers in flash-heating. The first HIV-infected mother to be trained continued once her infant was discharged.... he has grown beautifully and is HIV-negative. The mother volunteered to come back to the nursery where she now teaches other mothers how to flash-heat..."
Prof Beyers Hoek, Universitas Hospital
Dr Pieter Jooste, Kimberley Hospital Complex
Prof Gert Kirsten, Tygerberg Children's Hospital
Dr Marlize Kunneke, Worcester Hospital
Prof Andre Venter, Beds of Hope
Prof Dania Ballot, Wits Paediatric Fund
Dr Murray Davidson, The Biokanyo Foundation
Dr Bhavna Patel, Groote Schuur Neonatal Newborns Trust
Prof Susan Delport, Kalafong Hospital
Prof Keith Bolton, Rahima Moosa Mother & Child Hospital
Prof Robin Green, Steve Biko Academic Hospital
Dr Annelie van der Vyver, Pelonomi Hospital
Dr Farhaad Kahn, Dora Nginza Hospital
Dr Neil McKerrow, Greys Hospital
Prof Miriam Adhikari, King Edward Hospital
Dr Elmarie Malek, Witbank Hospital
Dr Robin Kinsley, Walter Sisulu Paediatric Cardiac Centre for Africa
Prof Peter Beale, Surgikids
EP Herald, September 2008
Mrs N, Port Elizabeth
Mrs M, Bloemfontein
Prof Anna Coutsoudis, King Edward Hospital
