Sunflower Children’s Hospice aims to keep children within their families and communities as far as possible, with relevant supervision and support. They serve Bloemfontein and the greater Manguang region. Founder Joan Marston joins Mid-Morning Magic’s Yolanda Maartens to talk about their 25th birthday celebrations.

Sunflower Children’s Hospice provide children and their family with:

• palliative care including pain and symptom management
• quality of life
• relief of suffering
• support for child and family/guardians
• developmental stimulation
• support into the bereavement period
• dignity in death
• community participation
• relevant training

Sunflower Children’s Hospice is a founding member of the International Children’s Palliative Care Network, and the founder of the St Nicholas Bana Pele Network.

The hospice focuses on three different types of caring:

• Home-based care,
• Sunflower House and
• Training of those providing care.

The Home-based Care is based in Bloemfontein, Botshabelo, and Thaba Nchu and extends to over 350 children. Care within the home is provided by a professional nurse with a qualification in palliative nursing care.

Sunflower House which is our in-patient unit, has 14 beds for children who cannot be cared for at home. Children are admitted for pain and symptom management; respite care; initiation onto anti-retroviral therapy or TB treatment; cancer treatment and end-of-life care. Children who cannot be returned home may remain in Sunflower House for long periods of time until they can be placed in safe care within the community.

How can you help? 

Sunflower Children’s Hospice is a non-profit organisation and is dependent on sponsorship and donations to cover its operational costs. In addition, they would also appreciate any time, expertise or goods that could be donated that would help them with the work they do. Please visit their Facebook page for more information or contact them at 051-448-3813 or sunflower007@telkomsa.net.