Cape Town - The Reach For A Dream Foundation, dedicated to alleviating the challenges faced by children with life-threatening illnesses and their families, recently announced the expansion of its Dream Room initiative with eight new Dream Rooms set to launch in hospitals across South Africa by the end of 2024.
At present, the Western Cape has five Dream Rooms situated at Groote Schuur Hospital, Tygerberg Hospital, Red Cross War Children’s Hospital, St Joseph’s Intermediate Paediatric Care and George Provincial Hospital.
A dream room is a play area in a hospital catering to young patients. This serves as a vital space for comfort, creativity, and distraction during challenging times. Designed to be a welcoming and stimulating environment, the dream room is filled with an array of age-appropriate toys, games, art supplies, and interactive activities that cater to a range of interests and developmental levels.
This haven allows children to engage in play, which is essential for their emotional and physical well-being, helping them cope with the stress and anxiety of hospitalization. Trained staff facilitate activities and ensure that the dream room remains a nurturing space where children can express themselves, socialise with peers, and briefly escape their medical surroundings. Ultimately, a dream room is not just a recreational area; it plays a crucial role in enhancing the overall hospital experience, promoting healing through play, and providing a sense of normalcy in a challenging environment.
The project expands with new rooms across SA and include locations at Tygerberg Hospital , St. Joseph’s Intermediate Paediatric Care, two rooms at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pholosong Hospital and Port Elizabeth Provincial Hospital.
With these launches, Reach For A Dream will have established 46 Dream Rooms nationwide, with the goal of opening even more in the future.
The head of the paediatric oncology unit: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health; Dr Anel van Zyl tsaid, “The Dream Room really means the world to the Doctors and children. Previously we had a very small waiting area with nothing to occupy the children.
“They would usually spend the whole day from 9am to 4pm some days, waiting and completely bored. We are so thankful for this room because now the children can play and do things a child is supposed to do like run, play, laugh and dream as well as share the joy with their playmates and not be bored. They also look forward to spending time with their friends from the ward in the Dream Room.”
Head of Fundraising Reach For A Dream; Natalie Lazaris said, “Dream Rooms provide children in hospitals with safe spaces where they can escape the hospital environment and simply be kids again. These rooms offer opportunities for learning and education with the help of our dedicated interns, allowing children to forget about their illness, even if just for a short while.
“Our goal is to build more Dream Rooms across the Western Cape and South Africa, ensuring that every hospital with a paediatric focus on oncology, renal, or cardiac care for children ages 3-18 has access to one—bringing joy, comfort, and a sense of normalcy to each child who needs it."
In a statement, Reach For A Dream explained the added benefits of the project through the empowerment of of local communities.
“Beyond creating healing spaces for children, Reach For A Dream is committed to empowering local communities by offering on-the-job training and work readiness programmes. Through the Dream Room initiative, young professionals are provided with invaluable experience, with 50% of interns holding degrees or diplomas in psychology, 30% having experience in early childhood development—many as teaching assistants—and 20% being recent school leavers eager to pursue a career in early childhood development.“
These interns undergo a 12-month Early Childhood Development learning programme, where they receive practical, on-the-job training. This initiative not only provides children with life-changing experiences but also equips interns with essential skills, preparing them for long-term career success in early childhood education and care.
Weekend Argus