Dreams do come true

Reach for a Dream is a non-profit organisation, which tries to fulfil the dreams of children suffering with life-threatening medical conditions, such as leukaemia, AIDS, cancer and organ transplants. Consequently, these children may not enjoy a lifespan that others take for granted. Their projects aim to fulfil childhood dreams for hospitalised children.

A dream, which can lift them away from their medical condition and transport them into another world of fun, stimulation, family time, hope, love and caring. Whatever the dream, it’s often enough inspiration for the child to carry on the will to fight. Children’s dreams are communicated to Reach for a Dream through medical teams. The organisation requires the approval of the medical team and the child’s parents, before the planning begins.

Children are not informed of the dream arrangements until everything has been organised. Race, religion or income is of no concern to the organisation, and families are never asked to contribute financially to the organisation for their child’s dream. Dreams vary from enjoying a packet of chips, to owning a bicycle, to flying in a helicopter, to meeting their hero, or even going on a holiday. Reach for a Dream relies solely on the generosity and kindness of their sponsors to help us fulfil these dreams.

Reach for a Dream also organises on-going projects that can ease the day-to-day suffering of ill children during extended stays in hospital. Medical staff agree that the provision of suitably distracting entertainment for children in hospital can help them cope better with physical and emotional pain, stress, isolation, damaged self-esteem, boredom and anxiety, as a result of their illness and extended stays in hospital.

Reach for a Dream arranges group outings for children who are hospitalised for long periods of time away from their homes, family and friends. Last year, they organised 279 outings, which included visits to the zoo, circus, children's theatre, sport events or, just simply an outing for burgers and milkshakes!

Camp Sunshine

A child's laughter is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful sounds in the world. And, hearing a sick child laugh…even more so! Camp Sunshine is a project of Reach For A Dream that provides a weekend dose of ‘laughter medicine’ to large groups of children fighting to be happy and alive.

Queen For A Day

Every little girl dreams of being a beauty queen with all the trimmings! In association with the Queen For A Day project in America, Reach For A Dream has officially launched the project in South Africa. It's about living the dream of a beauty queen with help from current and ex-beauty queen title-holders, models and cosmetic consultants. The girls receive uninterrupted pampering, until they are transformed into beauty queens with tiaras and sashes. Once they are pampered out, they enjoy a photo session to remember the day. It's a day of what would have been treatment and sadness - transformed into one of smiles and happy memories, to carry them through the difficult times.

Captain Courage

The Captain Courage project is aimed at acknowledging the bravery of children fighting life-threatening illnesses. The project helps the young boys take time out of their daily treatment and get together for a day of 'boys stuff'.

Tracy Fun Centres

The Tracy Fun Centres were derived from a successful project by the Starlight Foundation. Providing audio-visual entertainment centres for seriously ill children in hospital, these Fun Centres are mobile entertainment trolleys for children who are confined to hospital beds or wards.

Carefully designed, well engineered and robust, each colourful cabinet contains a TV monitor, video recorder and Sony Play Station, with a range of games. A study in America found that young patients aged 5 to 17 demanded up to 50% less pain medication from self-administered pumps, while playing with these Fun Centres.

In South Africa, these units are known as the Tracy Fun Centres, named after a young woman, who inspired everyone she came into contact with. Tracy was 19 years old and suffered from Rhabdomyosarcoma, a type of cancer, when she passed away on 21 August 1998.

Dream Bears

Reach for a Dream hands out Dream Bears for children to cuddle and help them through the difficult times. These bears are especially helpful to break down barriers and make children feel more comfortable in their surroundings.

If you require any further information about Reach for a Dream and its projects, please do not hesitate to contact Heidi Rowley, the Regional Director on 021-555-3013, or fax 021-555-3073. Alternatively you can e-mail heidi@rfad.org.za.