DURBAN - The Tin Soldiers Outreach Program is a registered non profit organisation that is working to identify and support people with one of the world’s most ultra rare conditions - Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP).
The organisation is focused on raising awareness for, diagnosing and supporting those who live with this ultra-rare condition; a condition that leaves its victims with little or no mobility as their muscle tissue turns to bone. Those who have the condition have severely compromised respiratory systems and are at high risk of morbidity should they get a lung infection.
So the Covid-19 pandemic is especially frightening for people living with FOP and for the parents of children with FOP. If they get infected the with Covid-19, they may well succumb to respiratory failure. As such they are strictly following the stay-at-home rules.
Hardest hit by the Covid-19 lockdown are some our patients from underserved communities. Most urgently, the families are in need food parcels. Tin Soldies is requesting assistance in supplying these families with much needed groceries. There are four families that require assistance.
Tin Soldiers FOP Outreach are appealing to the public for any help and assistance that they may be able to give to these patients who live in Soweto, Gugulethu and Khayelitsha.
How can you help?
People who wish to help can contact Odette Schwegler at [email protected]
* If you are an NGO, NPO or charity organisation helping others during the coronavirus pandemic, please send details to [email protected] so that we can help you raise awareness.