The donation of R150,000 made to the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital will contribute to the launch of the first child-produced radio station, where patients get trained as producers and presenters to assist other patients in their struggles to alleviate their anxiety and loneliness, whilst spending some time in hospital.
Luane Lavery, brand communication manager for Kulula.com says, “Kulula.com is delighted to support this pioneering project as part of our corporate social investment initiatives. The project connects directly with our brand promise, which strives to connect people in a fun way and it is our hope that RX Radio will do exactly this.
“Being in hospital is never easy and we hope that the radio station will make patients, parents, health workers and other children better understand the experience of being in hospital and illness by enhancing their lives, whilst having some fun too.”
The radio platform will enable the patients to share their experiences, concerns and questions with parents, health professionals and other children. Research has shown that sharing these kinds of conversations helps sick children to cope better with their illnesses and their treatment, thereby improving the overall wellbeing of children by giving them access to recreational and learning activities.
It will also help sensitise parents and health workers in dealing with children’s experiences of illness within a hospital environment.
To further strengthen the four-year-old partnership between the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Kulula.com will support the organisation with the expansion of the existing oncology ward in the near future. This will further strengthen and position the hospital as the leading centre for childhood cancer treatment in Africa.
