Reach for a Dream, a non-profit organisation, with a mission to alleviate the strain life-threatening illnesses place on sick children and their families by providing children with the opportunity to believe in their greatest wish, has opened a blue sky-themed Dream Room at Mthatha’s Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital.
The Dream Room provides sick children with stimulation that they would not necessarily get by lying in a hospital bed, and allows children to leave the hospital ward and engage in fun activities.
“Reach for A Dream chose the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital because it caters for children from rural areas, some of whom never get exposed to certain things such as play therapy – which the Dream Room offers – due to their disadvantaged backgrounds,” said Reach for a Dream East London branch manager, Lwanele Mpeta.
The Dream Room is situated in the paediatric section of the hospital.
It comes fully-equipped with imaginary play items such as Lego, a doll house, imaginary cooking and building equipment, educational items such as board games and tablets, and electronic distractions such as a game console, as well as creative crafts such as beading, painting, drawing, stamping, and knitting.
The hospital management has welcomed the donation of the Dream Room, describing it as a healthy distraction for their patients.
Mpeta said that their organisation aims at fulfilling more terminally-ill children’s wishes, and appealed to other businesses to partner with them in making the wishes a reality.
More information on Reach for a Dream and their charitable initiatives can be found on their official website: www.reachforadream.org.za or follow their social media platforms.
The Dream Room was made possible by Reach for a Dream sponsor, AirLink.
