KNYSNA NEWS - The Knysna Sedgefield Hospice (KSH) has been assisting the area's communities free of charge for more than 33 years with close to 15 000 home visits (an average of 1 235 per month) in the 2018/2019 financial year by 16 staff members, one doctor, six professional nurses, seven care workers, and three part-time social workers. Altogether 64 684 interventions were conducted during these visits. In South Africa excellent palliative care is included in its service.

But now, in the country's rapidly changing funding landscape, which has seen a notable shift of focus from healthcare to education, Hospices across the country have been feeling the strain with some having to close their doors and others being forced to limit their services. 

Because of its consistency and 5-star service rating, many people view the Knysna Sedgefield Hospice as an entity with sound funding foundations, but this is not necessarily the case.

And even though local communities have been very supportive and the Hospice has been successful in raising corporate, charitable, governmental and donor funding as well as having a successful fundraising events team which contributed R720 000 net income in the past financial year, its current running costs are budgeted at R6.6-million with an optimistic income budget of R5.4-million. That's still more than R1-million short if it wishes to maintain the high standard it has secured over the years.

Furthermore, with recent Discovery Health statistics showing an increase of 45% in the cancer diagnosis of their patients between 2011 and 2017 and the demand for palliative care likely to increase to the point where it may outstrip the Hospice's ability to meet the demand for this sort of care in South Africa, it would be impossible to uphold the current staffing structure which supports a 5-star facility, fully accredited by the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa, with an excellent reputation for providing valuable services to the community.

One of the best ways to assist the Hospice and win a wad of cash, is to buy a raffle ticket, well known as the Donor Club, for R50 of which half goes towards the quarterly Donor Club draw prize money.

For this R50 ticket you could find yourself tens of thousands of rands richer. In the first quarter of this year the first prize was

R9 000 with only 619 tickets sold. If the Hospice hopes to cover its R1-million shortfall it needs to sell 3 334 tickets in each quarter of 2019 – so get all your friends to buy a ticket too to make the kitty grow and everyone wins.

The draw is subject to approval by the National Lottery Commission.

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