The Sunflower Children\u2019s Hospice will be celebrating its 25th year on 9 June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joan Marston, founder of the hospice, says it is the oldest children\u2019s hospice in South Africa and most likely the oldest in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur children\u2019s hospice programme reaches back to 1991, when we cared for our first baby with a genetic condition \u2013 and after that many other children as part of our Bloemfontein\/Naledi Hospice programme,\u201d she explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSunflower was part of establishing the International Children\u2019s Hospice Network in 2005 and the South African national network PatchSA in 2012. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor 9 June we plan a Sunflower celebration with an open day where refreshments will be served; a small market will be held; and music, poetry from our community poets group, as well as short talks on the history and development, will be presented. At 17:00 a candle lighting will take place; in addition to the blessing of the Wall of Remembrance, which is to be repainted, a prayer blessing and an encirclement of Sunflower House to take us into the next 25 years.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The chair of the Sunflower Children\u2019s Hospice Trust in the UK, Ruth Smith, will be joining the festivities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marston says on 6 June a choir group in Columbus, Ohio, in America, will hold a Sunflower Festival, and friends in Bloemfontein will connect on Zoom so all can sing and share Sunflower love. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On 11 June at the Anglican Cathedral the service at 09:15 will be a thanksgiving service for Sunflower, followed by a community tea, where the Compassionate Community project will be launced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marston says they have a number of other activities planned throughout the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe do hope you will join us on 9 June and celebrate with Sunflower.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Sunflower Children\u2019s Hospice will be celebrating its 25th year on 9 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