This April, the Durban beach area will be transformed into a sea of colorful hats thanks to the third annual charity run, #HatsOn4CPC, taking place on Sunday, October 11th. The event is organized by Palliative Care for Children South Africa (PatchSA) in collaboration with Umduduzi Hospice Care for Children.
As part of this 5-kilometer event, local families, schools, and businesses are invited to wear their brightest hats to raise necessary funds and draw attention to the issues facing youth suffering from life-threatening illnesses.
The event will be held at the Amphitheatre on the North Beach Promenade, opposite the Southern Sun Elangeni and Maharani hotels in Durban. However, behind the festive, family-oriented atmosphere lies a serious issue concerning access to pediatric care in South Africa.
A study conducted by UNICEF and the International Children's Palliative Care Network (ICPCN) showed that over 300,000 children in South Africa live with severe illnesses requiring specialized palliative care. PatchSA estimates that only about 5% of them can receive the necessary support.
For the remaining 95%, a diagnosis often means uncontrolled physical discomfort, and families are forced to cope with a heavy emotional burden alone. Events like the #HatsOn4CPC Fun Walk, timed for Children's Palliative Care Day on October 9th, help break the silence surrounding childhood diseases.
The 2025 run saw participation from over 250 individuals who raised funds and increased awareness about palliative care for children in KwaZulu-Natal and across South Africa.
Pediatric Palliative Care (CPC) is a comprehensive and active approach to treatment aimed at relieving the medical, emotional, social, and spiritual suffering of children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. This approach provides holistic support to the entire family, helping them maintain the best possible quality of life despite a difficult diagnosis.
A common misconception is that palliative care is intended exclusively for the final days of life. Dr. Julia Ambler, Medical Director and Co-founder of Umduduzi, explains: 'Pediatric palliative care is about helping children live as well and as long as possible. It is not just for end-of-life care.'
She adds that it should be provided alongside curative treatment, starting from the moment of diagnosis or recognition of a life-threatening condition.
Pediatric palliative care covers newborns, children, and adolescents facing a wide range of medical problems. Eligibility criteria are not limited to terminal diagnoses. They include:
• Oncological and non-infectious diseases: Serious cancer conditions or severe organ failure.
• Congenital and genetic conditions: Complex chromosomal abnormalities, severe cerebral palsy, or metabolic disorders.
• Infectious diseases: Progressive or complicated cases of HIV, AIDS, or drug-resistant tuberculosis.
• Rare and undiagnosed diseases: Conditions without known treatment or formal names, causing progressive neurological or physical deterioration.
Parents are advised to seek palliative care for their children immediately after a diagnosis of a serious, life-threatening, or life-limiting illness, rather than waiting until curative treatments are finished. Palliative care works alongside primary medical methods from day one, managing agonizing physical symptoms such as pain, nausea, and fatigue, thereby ensuring maximum comfort and activity for the child.
In addition to physical relief, it provides an invaluable extra layer of support during frequent hospitalizations or complex treatment decisions, helping families weigh options and align care with their goals. It also extends necessary emotional, practical, and spiritual support to the whole family, offering counseling for siblings, respite for exhausted caregivers, and assistance with daily healthcare matters.
Ultimately, early access to palliative care ensures that no family has to cope alone with the immense difficulties associated with a child's serious illness. There is no need to wait for a doctor to suggest palliative care. If your child has a serious illness and your family requires additional support, you can request a referral for palliative care from your primary pediatrician, oncologist, or hospital team at any point in the journey.
The gap between the number of children in South Africa needing palliative support (over 300,000) and those receiving it (about 5%) highlights a critical healthcare problem. Organizations like PatchSA and Umduduzi Hospice Care for Children are working directly to change this situation by training healthcare workers, advocating for policy integration, and providing direct care services to vulnerable families.
Sue Bosher, Program Manager at PatchSA, notes that healthcare workers are overburdened and often lack the time to provide holistic palliative care to the child and family. She states: 'These are very unequal circumstances given the many situations in South Africa.'
She also points out that even in the best circumstances, the misconception persists that palliative care equals 'end-of-life care' and implies 'giving up' on fighting for a cure, which prevents many doctors and specialists from referring patients to existing institutions and organizations capable of providing pediatric palliative care. Furthermore, many families perceive palliative care as 'surrender,' so they may resist it.
Every hat, whether a sun hat or a sports cap, or an intricate handmade item worn on October 11th, opens vital discussions about the right of children to compassionate and dignified care. All funds raised go towards supporting the current activities of PatchSA and Umduduzi Hospice Care for Children. For more information, please visit the website.
In observance of Mandela Month, Vector Logistics, in collaboration with Imbumba Foundation and supported by the Daily News Milk Fund, conducted a winter food aid program to support vulnerable families in several areas of Durban.
The event was attended by Sushie Munsamy (CSI Assistant at Independent Media), Sameera Kareem (CSI Manager & Project Coordinator at Independent Media), Wanda Mgaga (Founder of Sikhona Organisation), Senzi Nhleko (HR & Finance Manager at Imbumba Foundation), and Nandipha Miya (Administrator & Project Coordinator at Sikhona Organisation). This initiative, which took place on July 30, 2026, reflects the company's commitment to immortalizing Nelson Mandela's legacy through meaningful acts of service aimed at alleviating food insecurity.
The first distribution of food parcels took place at the Chesterville Community Hall, where 80 needy families received assistance. The identification of these recipients was facilitated by the uMgogodla Women's Forum and the Department of Joint Management and Traditional Affairs (Cogta).
The second phase of distributing food baskets occurred at Ekuthuleni School in Besters, KwaMashu, where aid was provided to vulnerable children and their families through the Sikhona Organisation, which is a beneficiary of the Daily News Milk Fund. Sikhona Organisation operates within the school premises, providing breakfast and dinner for approximately 400 orphans and children from vulnerable families. Additionally, supplies were donated to strengthen Sikhona's kitchen, helping the organization provide regular nutritious meals.
The Daily News Milk Fund also contributed to the Sikhona feeding program, providing hundreds of children with daily nutritious meals. The winter food aid program offered emergency food support to vulnerable children, households, elderly people, homeless women, and destitute families across KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and the Western Cape. The initiative demonstrated the positive impact of collaboration between corporate and non-profit organizations, showing how partnership can bring long-term change to communities.
