5 reasons to be a Friend of Victoria
Posted on October 9, 2015
Want to be a Friend of Victoria forever? Everyone who fundraises, donates funds, gives something in kind or volunteers their time is a Friend of Victoria. Caring for your community is easy when you support a hospital that is as community focused as Victoria Hospital. Touch the lives of men, women and children from Wynberg to Hout Bay and Imizamo Yethu, Lavender Hill and Retreat and Simonstown and Masiphumelele when you impact this hospital.
5 Reasons to become a Friend of Victoria
Victoria has wisdom from experience…
‘Born’ in 1889 (well over a century ago) Victoria has impacted the community of Wynberg and beyond through typhoid, bubonic plague, Spanish ‘flu, the Boer War and Second World War. Her doctors stood up to Apartheid by allowing people of all races to share facilities and is going strong serving people from all walks of life well into South Africa’s rainbow nation years.
Victoria is warm-hearted…
The staff of Victoria (all of them) are some of the friendliest people you will meet. From the security officers at the front door to the tuck shop staff, cleaners, nurses and doctors, Victoria’s staff are passionate about what they do and dedicated to serving patients with care and excellence.
Victoria changes lives…
This hospital has some special focus areas that are powerfully impacting the surrounding communities. The Forensics Department is THE go-to unit for any rape or severe crime victim. Victoria’s Forensic Unit is the only one headed by a Forensic Pathologist dedicated to sourcing evidence and treating survivors with care. The Paediatric Unit has worked to impact a community ravaged by HIV/AIDS in the 1990’s and seen massive turn-around and success with ARV’s and reduced mother to child transmission, so that cases of HIV/AIDS in the wards have dropped radically. The Orthopaedic HOD has also been instrumental in encouraging the Western Cape Government to offer full joint replacements (hip replacements are considered the most successful operation, giving huge freedom to the patient). Now that’s bringing change to the community.
Victoria is all about team…
When you become a Friend of Victoria you become a part of a vibrant and life-giving group of people that love helping each other and co-operating, especially between departments. Government hospitals in South Africa face many challenges like serving hurting, impoverished communities with stretched budgets. Victoria has shown that these challenges can be met successfully with great teamwork and a lot of heart.
Victoria serves the most vulnerable communities…
Victoria Hospital serves suburbs like Wynberg, Plumstead, Diep River, Constantia and Hout Bay. But most of her patients come from areas in the Cape Flats like Retreat, Lavender Hills or townships like Masiphumelele and Imizamo Yethu.The Forensics unit serves the wider Cape Town area from Milnerton to Camps Bay all the way to Gugulethu, Nyanga and Delft.
Impacting the most vulnerable is at the very heart of Victoria Hospital’s ethos. The doctors and nurses are passionate about serving and impacting communities, ensuring that poverty doesn’t exclude a patient from the best possible care. Be a part of this positive impact on society, because a patient who goes home well, able to work and able to serve their family leaves positive ripples in their community.
If you would like to donate, contact us on donate@friendsofvictoriahospital.org. Alternatively you can raise funds (organising anything from a dinner to race sponsorship or a comedy night), give in kind or volunteer – we would love to hear from you at join@friendsofvictoriahospital.org.