Meet Laila

It’s an early morning at Victoria Hospital’s Paediatric Outpatient Department (POPD), and two-year- old Laila waits patiently with her mom for the necessary check-up. Laila had severe scabies and German measles at the same time. It was then that this little one was referred from Retreat Day Hospital to the Paediatric Department at Victoria Hospital in Wynberg, Cape Town. Mom, Waleda, was so impressed with the care her daughter received that she returned to the hospital for all the follow-up consultations and Laila’s treatment.

Although Waleda understands she has the option to attend the outpatient facility at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, she chooses Victoria Hospital’s Paediatric Outpatient Department because of her experiences over the past three months. Within an hour, Laila will be seen, her medication will be renewed, and she will receive extra milk to help boost her weight gain. Waleda is happy about this. This is the kind of care she wants for her daughter, and the kind of support she needs as a mother.

Waleda smiles when she speaks of the care and support she has received. There is a sense of belonging, acceptance and respect that is encouraged by all the medical staff at Victoria Hospital’s POPD and parents leave with the confidence that their child has received good care and that they have the support of a community of health-workers who want exactly what they want: the very best care for their child.

It is this kind of community which shares support and care for all children, speaks to the generosity that we can show at any time, but especially in times of hardship. As mother, Waleda knows the true value of this, and she smiles broadly, filled with gratitude.

All the while, little Laila is busy playing with her teddy, but not too busy to give her mom a cuddle and a kiss. This is love. This is what every donation helps to make possible for families and children as they heal.