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Aphelele and her Mum - June 2010

In 2010 we were really pleased to help this family from Cradock in the Eastern Cape spend time together.

We were able to arrange for Aphelele's mum to come to Cape Town, and for Aphelele to go home to spend the June holidays with her family in between periods of treatment for leukaemia.

Photos of Aphelele and her mum at St. Joseph's Home in Cape Town

2011 - Some more families the Zoe-Lee Foundation has helped over the last year

Since early 2011, we have been pleased to extend our help to children suffering from other life-limiting diseases, not just leukaemia.

By providing supermarket vouchers (ZAR150) andtelephone cards (ZAR25) we have helped mothers of children who are sometimes staying a long way from home for months at a time to not only buy a few essentials, but also to keep in contact with the rest of the family back home, especially over Christmas.

We were also able to provide a limited number of hairdryers for the use of mothers.

Supermarket vouchers, telephone cards and hairdryers have made such a huge difference for a very small cost.

Thanks to the Social Work Department at RCCH for their help identifying those most in need of our support.

November/December 2011 - ZLF Trustee visits Cape Town.

Zoe-Lee Foundation Trustee, Dr Debbi Marais visited Cape Town recently and met with representatives from some of the organisations we have been developing working relationships with over the last few years. She also managed to make some useful new connections in a rather packed 5-day itinerary.

She was able to further develop existing ties with the social work departments at Red Cross Children's Hospital (RCCH) and St. Joseph's Home, and met with representatives from The Friends of the Children's Hospital Association who run the volunteer programme at RCCH. She also met a couple of doctors who work with the Child Health Unit at the University of Cape Town's Public Health Department as well as making some wonderful new contacts at SHAWCO. The Student's Health and Welfare Centres Organisation is an innovative student community service organisation at the University of Cape Town.

Below are some of the photos Debbi would like to share with us.

Ettienne Marais to run Edinburgh Marathon 2012

Ettienne Marais will be running the Edinburgh Marathon this year to raise funds for the Zoe Lee Foundation. Ettienne is doing this for two reasons. Firstly, being a South African who emigrated to Scotland 2 1/2 years ago, it seems right to give back to the children in South Africa. He recently visited Red Cross Children's Hospital with his wife who is a trustee of the Foundation and was able to witness the great need for support for the terminally ill children and their families. Many of the mothers are living under terrible conditions just to be able to spend as much time as possible at their child's bedside,often being very far away from their homes and families. Their stories and those of children with no-one to support them as it is impossible for their mothers to be away from home, work and the rest of the family, touched him. The funds raised by the ZLF will go a long way in making a difference to these children. Secondly, Ettienne would like to encourage others and show that there is quality of life afterlive organ donation. He donated one of his kidneys to his cousin 4 years ago and will therefore be running the marathon with only one kidney.

Celebrate Aberdeen – 11^th June 2011

The Zoe-Lee Foundation was delighted to take part in the 'Celebrate Aberdeen' parade on 11^th June 2011 thanks to the support of locally-based telecommunications company NESSCO. More than 3500 people involved in volunteering or voluntary action in and around Aberdeen City and Shire took part, including bands, choirs, sports personalities, celebrities and others.

The parade started at 11.00 from Harlaw Academy walking down the length of Union Street to the Castlegate, and was led by The Lord Provost, Peter Stephen.

Celebrate Aberdeen was jointly organised by ACVO (Aberdeen Council for Voluntary Organisations) and Morven McKenzie of McKenzie PR, and helped raise awareness amongst the population of the massive impact the Third Sector makes on the local and wider communities.

NESSCO very kindly sponsored our charity's entry into the event, providing flags and banners for us to carry during the parade. It was a great opportunity for us to widen awareness of the work we do helping children with leukaemia and other life-limiting diseases in Cape Town, South Africa and their families.

NESSCO specialise in providing telecommunications solutions to the oil and gas industry, employing over 100 staff worldwide. Their headquarters are in Westhill, Aberdeen, and they also have international teams in offices in Azerbaijan and Brazil.

Here are some photos taken on the day – 

09:00 – Zoe-Lee Foundation Trustees and volunteers arrive at Harlaw Academy to collect Celebrate Aberdeen banners and flag	Unfurling the Celebrate Aberdeen banners sponsored by NESSCO
Zoe-Lee Foundation supporters make their way down Albyn Place to assemble for the parade	Young and old waiting for the start of the parade at 11:00
Trustees and volunteers at Queen's Cross	Zoe-Lee Foundation Trustees successfully recruit another volunteer
The parade about to set off from Albyn Place, Aberdeen	Zoe-Lee Foundation volunteers with VSA drummers bringing up the rear of the Celebrate Aberdeen parade
Stepping out along Union Street, Aberdeen	Approaching the Castlegate, Aberdeen
Nearing the end of Union Street	Nearly at the Castlegate, and the end of the parade
	Thanks to all our volunteers, our sponsors, NESSCO, the organisers of Celebrate Aberdeen, and to all the people of Aberdeen City and Shire for their generous support

Zoe-Lee Foundation marks 5th Anniversary with a South African 'braai' (BBQ)

12th June 2011

The Zoe-Lee Foundation received charitable status on 12^th June 2006, and to mark the 5^th anniversary trustees, volunteers and friends of the Scottish-registered charity met in rural Aberdeenshire to celebrate with a South-African style 'braai'

It was a chance to meet on a social basis, to reflect on what we have achieved in the last five years and also to look forward to the future. At the same time it was an opportunity to try some excellent locally-produced 'Boerewors'* amongst other fine food and wine.

*Boerewors is a popular South African sausage and comes from the Afrikaans words boer ("farmer") and wors ("sausage"),

Here are a few photos of the afternoon:

Edinburgh Marathon 2010 Success! > May 10

Despite the difficult conditions (temperatures peaked at 25 degrees) our 30 runners made it round the route more or less unscathed, and helped to make this event our most successful yet! 

 

We are currently seeking runners for the London Marathon.

To view pictures from previous marathons and to find out more about getting involved please visit our marathon page.