The Reach for a Dream Foundation recently made the dreams of several sick children come true when they launched the Eastern Cape’s first ever Dream Room at Dora Nginza Hospital.
This dream room, with its design centred on the ocean, was created to provide a gentle distraction from medical procedures and the hospital environment to allow the children to revive their childhood dreams and for it to become a node of hope in a trying space.
The FEM Dora Nginza Dream Room, launched in partnership with The Federated Employers Mutual Assurance Company (FEM) has loads of activities for children.
These include an array of books, A TV and several PS4 games, colouring books and crayons and an outside playground with many different types of playing equipment, mini motorbikes and even a mini wall for rock climbing and a miniature soccer “field”.
Not only will the little patients at the hospital be able to enjoy the many activities in the Dream Room, but this space will also be used to help them get better physically since the occupational therapists will be doing their therapies with the children in the Dream Room.
Occupational therapist at the hospital, Lize Lombard, said that it would be so great for their patients to be in this space during therapy.
“Being out here would create positive emotions for them and just decrease the effect that the institution has on them with regard to injections and so forth.
“I read something the other day and it said that being in hospital is not just about surviving but surviving well and I think this will help the children to survive well,” she said.
Another occupational therapist, Nicole Maia, added that the Dream Room would really improve the mindset and moods of their little patients and bring another sensory aspect.
“Mostly with our sessions they are between these four walls and their moods are affected by it but being out here will make a difference and create a positive mood,” she explained.
Two of the patients who are already starting to benefit from the Dream Room are 10-year-old Nthusi and Beyondré (11) who were sitting at the small tables and colouring in.
Branch manager of Reach for a Dream in Nelson Mandela Bay, Michelle van Huyssteen, said that when she met Nthusi in hospital he was very reserved, sad and uncommunicative.
“Our dream team spent time with him in hospital and gradually he started opening up to them. He loves his aunt (his legal guardian who is raising him) and wants to be a soldier, just like her, when he grows up.
“His biggest dream was to have a phone in order to keep in touch with his aunt during his long hospital stay. We see more smiles from this little person since the first interactions with him. The doctors have told us that they have witnessed such a positive difference in this little boy.”
She added that when they met Beyondré at the Kariega Provincial Hospital, she was “super shy”. She transferred to Dora Nginza due to a long hospitalisation.
“Her mom is at her bedside day and night. Her dream was also a phone in order to keep in contact with her family and friends as she has not seen them for so long. She loves taking pictures and playing games on her dream phone which we surprised her with on her birthday.
“She also loves reading and said that she was so delighted to see all the books in the Dream Room.”
Also at the launch to entertain the guests with his amapiano dancing skills was 13-year-old Junaid, who is an outpatient receiving chemotherapy.
Junaid was diagnosed with a rare illness, Rosai Dorfman disease, and is currently receiving chemo because he had a relapse last year.
His dream was fulfilled last year and when he opened his dream PS4, he was over the moon.
“He is an avid dancer and loves amapiano. He treated us to his awesome dance moves when he participated in our Dancing for Dreams fun campaign late last year.
“Junaid dreams of going to university one day to become a surgeon or doctor,” Van Huyssteen said.
Doing the honour of cutting the ribbon to officially launch the Dream Room, head of paediatrics, Professor Siyazi Mda, couldn’t stop smiling from ear to ear.
“Excuse the pun, but this has been a dream of ours for a long time.
“When Michelle approached us with this idea, we were very excited.”
He added that the area where the Dream Room was situated, used to be smiling room, meant for children but then it was converted into a meeting room with photocopy machines.
“I mean, really, if I can put it that way, things that will not mean much in assisting children to get better. An area like this has been shown very clearly in a number of scientific and academic studies, that for the patients who require long-term chronic care, it uplifts their spirits and actually shortens their hospital stay,” he added.
“We are so grateful to Reach for a Dream for making this dream of ours come true.
