Pink Lady® apples together with Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing hosted their seventh annual Crafts for Cancer workshop on Saturday, 15 of October 2016 at D’Aria function venue, Durbanville. Every year this event is held to raise funds for the Tygerberg Hospital’s Breast Clinic Transport Fund.
At a sold-out event, over 100 ladies participated this year, resulting in R70,000 being raised for the Tygerberg Hospital’s Breast Clinic Transport Fund. This means that over 400 additional ladies will benefit from the Fund.
Tru-Cape’s Chris Kolbe (standing) with women attending the Crafts for Cancer fundraising event.
The Transport Fund was started for the Breast Clinic at Tygerberg Hospital in 2010. The need for this fund was identified and initiated by a dedicated social worker at the Breast Clinic. The Transport Fund Initiative kicked off with a donation of R25,000 from the Head of the Breast Clinic, Professor Apffelstaedt, and what started as a small scale initiative to assist one patient in need, has since grown to a fully-fledged fund that has helped countless women and continues to grow.
70% of women diagnosed with Breast Cancer at the Breast Clinic of Tygerberg Hospital are in the low income bracket, and whilst the government covers the treatment costs, their transport costs to and from the hospital for regular radiotherapy sessions, often become a barrier to entry. Radiotherapy sessions last for either 16 or 25 days and the transport costs for these patients are often too high.
“This project is very close to our hearts and the continued support we have had from ladies throughout the Western Cape over the years, has been phenomenal.” Says Liza Matthews, Marketing Manager of Pink Lady®. “Every year just gets bigger and this year our tickets sold out in 6 days! A big thank you to each and every one who attended or made a financial contribution to this event.”
Marketing Director of Tru-Cape, Conrad Fick, said after the event: "It is a privilege for Tru-Cape to co-sponsor Crafts for Cancer with Pink Lady®. This is a topic close to our hearts, as we have seen the struggle some of our staff has undergone during treatment.”
This year the ladies in attendance enjoyed a morning learning the art of Vintage Painting with Lizel Cloete, Craft editor for Ideas magazine. After the crafts, lunch was served and Professor Apffelstaedt gave a speech thanking all the ladies that have a donated to the fund, making a tangible difference to the lives of those less fortunate.
“Tru-Cape would like to thank all the ladies who attended the event, for their current and future contributions to this cause, and for their passion for the event. A big thank you to Professor Apffelstaedt for the amazing work that he does." Concluded Conrad.
For more information to donate, or to discuss possible partnerships, contact Kerryn Lloyd at kerryn@mango-omc.com or 021 447 8048.