Many hours of compassionate effort from Rotarian’s wives and friends of the Rotary Club of Knights Pendragon, went into the creation of 12 of brightly coloured knitted and crocheted blankets for the Chris Hani Baragwaneth Paediatric and Intensive Care Burns Unit. In addition, the Edenvale Lionesses sewed 13 polar fleece blankets, which, together with of story books, colouring books, crayons, pens and other of items essential to improving the lives of young burns patients in recovery, has been made. The Knights Pendragon Rotarians are grateful to all the donors and ladies who gave of their time and expertise to make this donation possible.
The Baragwaneth Paediatric Burns Unit is a specialist referral facility catering for paediatric burn victims from Gauteng and the North-West province. Some 400 burns patients are admitted annually with about 25% requiring specialist intensive care, mainly as a result of accidents which as a result of open flame burns during the winter months. These patients often endure protracted hospital stays, with multiple theatre visits to clean, debride wounds and place skin grafts. Primary and secondary infections frequently complicate cases and may be life threatening; especially in the cases of younger patients. The specialist care of these patients requires a dedicated, multi-disciplinary team of burn and ICU nurses, Paediatric Critical Care Intensivists and Surgeons; Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Dieticians and Anaesthetists. The rehabilitation of these patients is often long-term and challenging; especially when critical areas such as the face, hands, feet and joints are involved.
The Rotary Club of Knights Pendragon supports the paediatric burns unit with items to make the rehabilitation of patients a little easier, less mundane and more comfortable. In particular, the club is working on raising RM2.5 to purchase essential exercise and other equipment needed by the Paediatric Burns Unit. Our thanks to our wives and friends for their contribution to this worthwhile cause.