Staff members from the paediatric department at the Khayelitsha District Hospital (KDH) in Khayelitsha hosted a Christmas party for the children to entertain their young patients on Friday 12 December.
More than 100 children, some of them accompanied by their parents, gathered at the facility. They were entertained by marimba music and played various games and frolicked on a jumping castle.
The event organiser and paediatrician Dr Natasha O’Connell described the event as a special day for children. She said the aim is to make them feel free and relaxed. O’Connell said they’ve been doing the event since 2012.
“This is a special day for the kids who are our patients. This is a day for them to play and have fun. With the help of Friends of KDH, we managed to make this event successful and every child will also receive a gift at the end of the event,” said O’Connell.
Founder and chair of Friends of KDH, Kate Wade said they raised funds for the event to be successful. She said Friends of KDH channels resources to develop knowledge and promote care to make an impact within the hospital and Khayelitsha community.
Parent Lulama Nqeketho praised the KDH staff members for a great initiative. “I’m happy to see our children playing. It means a lot to us as parents. Some of the children even forget that they are sick,” laughed Nqeketho.
