A Future of Hope - April Newsletter 2025
A Legacy of Compassion. A Future of Hope.
As we celebrate 90 years of service, we reflect on a legacy written in quiet acts of care in our wards, where every healing touch and hopeful step tells the story of children’s courage sustained by the steadfast hearts of those who serve them. It is here that healing begins and the future is made possible—one child at a time.
Behind each child’s recovery lies a story of extraordinary care.
In the Lily Ward, children with life-limiting conditions and complex medical needs receive palliative and comfort-focused care from a deeply compassionate team. Here, families often face emotionally intense realities, like preparing for the end of life for a child with a progressive illness. Social workers and clinicians provide sensitive counselling and support, walking closely with parents through moments of great vulnerability.
And yet, alongside the quiet courage of these stories, there are also glimmers of transformation: little ones who arrive severely malnourished, fragile, and underweight due to underlying medical conditions. With the expert care of our multidisciplinary team—and a carefully tailored nutrition plan—they slowly regain strength. In time, they bounce back with energy, smiles, and a renewed sense of joy, ready to take on the world with growing confidence.
In Protea Ward, we care for children like a brave 13-year-old boy facing the final stages of a brainstem tumour. Our team provides symptom management, emotional support, and comfort with dignity, ensuring his final days are as peaceful as possible.
Sunflower Ward is home to children with severe cerebral palsy, most of whom are tube-fed and require 24-hour care. Nurses prepare over 140 bottles daily and provide careful feeding and positioning, turning every moment into one of compassion and connection.
In Freesia Ward, eight children with minimal to intermediate care needs are supported with therapies that focus on restoring independence and quality of life. While most children are ambulant and attend the onsite special needs school during the day, the care remains multifaceted and responsive to each child’s evolving condition.
Recently, an eight-year-old girl with chronic lung disease experienced a sudden decline in respiratory function. She was placed back on continuous oxygen and treated with antibiotics. Given the severity of her deterioration, she was referred to our palliative care partners for further assessment. Under their guidance and after a multidisciplinary team discussion, a new approach was implemented, including a carefully adjusted treatment plan to relieve distress and support comfort.
This case not only reflects the medical fragility of our patients but also the continuous learning and collaboration that define our clinical approach. Here, every challenge becomes an opportunity for thoughtful, compassionate care.
And in Daisy and Basil Wards, children continue to receive complex clinical and therapeutic care designed to build resilience, encourage play, and support the whole child in body and spirit.
These stories reflect the depth and breadth of the work made possible through your support. Each ward is a world of clinical precision, emotional care, and quiet miracles.
🎥 We invite you to watch our ‘Service and Stewardship’ video, featuring a message from our Board Chair. It honours the stewardship of our leadership, the dedication of our clinical team, and the hope our supporters bring to children’s lives.
Watch the video here
We also invite you to take part in the #9zeroChallenge—a campaign to honour 90 years of compassionate care. Whether through a gift of ZAR90, ZAR900 or R9000 for holistic intermediate patient care, sponsoring a child’s therapy for 90 days, hosting a 90-minute charity event—a bake sale, trivia night, or coffee morning, or by inspiring 9 others to join, your participation helps us continue to serve South Africa’s most vulnerable children.
Click here to participate in the 9zero Challenge.
Benefits of giving to young patients at St Joseph’s
St Joseph’s is a registered non-profit organisation and approved as a public benefit organisation (PBO) under Section 18A of the Income Tax Act in South Africa. Donors will receive a Section 18a Tax Certificate. NPO 002/908 and PBO 130000399. VAT Reg. No. 4840113866.
Donations made to St Joseph’s now offer tax benefits to donors residing in Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
Thank you for walking this journey with us.
Every gift, every hour, and every action help transform lives.
Together, let’s make this 90th anniversary a milestone of impact, healing, and hope.
With gratitude, All at St Joseph’s Intermediate Paediatric Care
