Volunteer group shows appreciation to Groote Schuur Hospital healthcare workers

An international volunteer group from ASEZ WAO showed its appreciation to healthcare workers leading the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic by donating gifts to the nurses of Groote Schuur Hospital for their Heart to Heart Campaign. Photographer: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA)

An international volunteer group from ASEZ WAO showed its appreciation to healthcare workers leading the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic by donating gifts to the nurses of Groote Schuur Hospital for their Heart to Heart Campaign. Photographer: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA)

Published Jul 30, 2021

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Cape Town - As the Covid-19 infections increase and hospitals continue to experience hardships during the third wave, an international volunteer group showed its appreciation to healthcare workers by donating gifts to nurses at Groote Schuur Hospital on Thursday for their Heart to Heart Campaign.

The Heart to Heart campaign is a global campaign established last year by the international volunteer group, ASEZ WAO of the World Mission Society Church of God, to support frontline workers with comforting gifts and handwritten messages of encouragement.

ASEZ WAO volunteer Precious Malete said they were carrying out this campaign at various hospitals. The group visited Constantiaberg Mediclinic last month, and were delighted to show their appreciation to the Groote Schuur Hospital healthcare workers with 130 care packages.

“Since the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, the frontline workers have risked their lives to save us, and keep us safe. So we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to them for all their efforts, put a smile on their faces, cheer them on, and let them know that they are truly appreciated,” said Malete.

Groote Schuur Hospital principal communications officer Alaric Jacobs said staff were currently working under intense pressure due to the high numbers of Covid-19 patients they were seeing in their wards and intensive care units.

“Gestures like these are really appreciated by the staff, as they were busy all the time, and most days don’t even have time to have lunch. Gestures like these help staff to keep going and continue to provide quality care to patients,” said Jacobs.

Jacobs said people could show their support for the frontline workers by getting vaccinated, as fewer people coming into hospital would go a long way.

“We are all running this race to fight against Covid-19 and they are leading us in the frontline, if they can't continue the race, then we can't either. So it is very vital that we, as a community, also take care of them as best as we can, just as they have taken care of us,” said Malete.