News

A candlelit collection of heartfelt messages and words of hope brightened a chilly evening at Netcare N1 City Hospital where staff, doctors and patients came together to celebrate life and commemorate Cancer Survivors Month, as it drew to a close at the end of June.

“A cancer survivor is anyone with a history of cancer, whether you have only just been diagnosed, are currently receiving cancer treatment, are living with cancer as a chronic disease, are in remission or have been declared cancer free,” said Marilyn Lameyer, regional radiation therapy manager for Netcare Western Cape.

“This commemorative ceremony was held in celebration of those who have survived, as well as to honour the people who are no longer with us. Candles were lit inside white paper bags on which special messages had been hand written. These paper lanterns were then laid out together in front of the hospital’s oncology building in the shape of a cancer ribbon.” Messages on the white paper lanterns included words of encouragement and inspiration, such as ‘Survivors rock – keep your lights shining’, ‘Cancer is a word, not a sentence. Hold on to hope’ and ‘I am humbled by the courage of cancer survivors’, among others. “As a central place in the lives of so many people who are battling cancer in the Western Cape, we at Netcare N1 City Hospital cancer care centre see just what it means to be faced with the realities of cancer daily. Wherever a person may be on their cancer journey, we wish to let them know that we see them, we acknowledge what they are going through and we are here to provide holistic care – treatment and much needed support – for them and their loved ones in their fight for survival,” Lameyer concluded.

 

Ends

Notes to editor

Looking for a medical appointment? Netcare appointmed™ will make appointments for YOU with specialists practising at Netcare hospitals, GPs and dentists at Medicross medical and dental centres, and specialists at Akeso mental health facilities. Simply request an appointment online at www.netcare.co.za/Request-a-medical-appointment or phone Netcare appointmed™  on 0860 555 565, Mondays to Fridays between 08:00 and 17:00.
 
To find out more about the services offered through Netcare hospitals and other of the Group’s facilities, please visit www.netcare.co.za or contact the Netcare customer service centre either by email at [email protected] or phone 0860 NETCARE (0860 638 2273). Note that the centre operates Mondays to Fridays from 08:00 to 16:00.

For more information on this media release, contact MNA at the contact details listed below.

Issued by:            MNA on behalf of Netcare Netcare N1 City Hospital
Contact:    Martina Nicholson, Meggan Saville, Estene Lotriet-Vorster or Clemmy Forsthofer
Telephone:    (011) 469 3016
Email:    [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]