Ex-patient’s warm-hearted gesture
Blankets donated to Aurora
HAVING spent nearly two months as a patient at Aurora Hospital and seeing the dire need for warm goodies for children at the centre, a Graaff-Reinet woman decided to give back to the hospital that took “such great care” of her.
Joy Sharpe, 73, spent six weeks at the physical rehabilitation hospital last year after suffering a fall and hurting her back.
Last week, she donated 13 blankets to the hospital from a charity project she and other women in the Graaff-Reinet and Hofmeyr region undertook.
The women, including Sharpe’s neighbour at Graaff-Reinet’s Brenda Horwitz retirement village, Fransie Dreyer, knit squares during their free time. These are then kept ready to be sewn together and handed over to those in need.
Sharpe said she was looked after “so beautifully” that she had to do something to thank the hospital.
“A bunch of us were part of a charity group called ‘Idle Hands, Idle Chatter’ and we had some squares knitted, which I sewed together and suggested we donate to Aurora,” she said.
“While I was at the hospital, I visited the children’s side and there was a list of needs from that section, from money to warm clothes and scented flowers for their little garden.
“I had such lovely treatment there that I immediately thought this would be the first place I suggest for donations and after this there is more I would like to see done for the children there,” Sharpe said.
“And giving doesn’t take a lot but has such great rewards.”
Sharpe spent six months away from her retirement home on her road to full recovery.
“I fell in July and hurt my back quite badly. I was hospitalised for four weeks at Greenacres Hospital and later moved to Aurora, where I spent six weeks.
“After being discharged from there, I stayed with my daughter in [Port Elizabeth] for five months.”
The 13 blankets donated to the hospital were each made up of 25 squares.
“With winter coming there is definitely a need for warm things because, when I asked the matron what was needed, she said jerseys and warm clothes.
“Everybody deserves to keep warm.”