https://www.allergyfoundation.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/AFSA-NEWS-Icon-1-150×150.png

AFSA News – November 2018

https://www.allergyfoundation.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/MamaMagic-more-pics-on-FB.jpg

MamaMagic Expo Cape Town

Thanks to all who visited and participated at our stand at the MamaMagic expo in Cape Town.  We had an awesome response and numerous requests for information. Many questions were answered by our on-site medical team of Dr Candice Royal, Sr Heidi Facey-Thomas, Prof Claudia Gray and Dr Salome Abbott.  The CTICC was once again filled with the excitement of thousands of parents, parents-to-be and children attending the 46th edition of MamaMagic.

Thank you so much to all our product hamper sponsors – Aveeno, Bennetts, Cetoderm, Dexeryl, Epy Derm, Mar Ribas for her books – ‘No Cheese Please’ and ‘No Nuts for Bruno Please’, Kuraflo,  Mediband, Pure and Salex.

https://www.allergyfoundation.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Woolworths-Run-for-Health-1.jpeg

AFSA supporting the Woolworths Move For your Health

Sunday 4 November, the streets of Claremont were awash with bright green T-shirts as nearly 2000 runners ran with their hearts. They were participating in the Woolworths Move for your Health 6km run/walk in proud association with SANParks which formed part of the Landmarks event, with a beautiful half-marathon. Bussed in from several of Cape Town’s under-resourced areas – many of these children had never participated in an event of this magnitude. Their smiling faces and joy of participating in a fun event, sporting their own race T-shirt, receiving a shiny medal and a healthy meal pack – told a story.  If you missed out and wish to get fit for summer, you can download the Sports Science Institute of SA’s 6 week training programme here. #ourinspiration #noleneconrad

https://www.allergyfoundation.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/bracelets.jpg

#GivingTuesday – 27^th November 2018.  Help Sharon save lives!

Sharon van Sitters is a mom with a son who has been recently diagnosed with anaphylaxis.

Due to the high cost of an auto-injector and financial constraints, she desperately tried to obtain one for her son at no cost.  With much persistence and luck, she did, and was extremely grateful to one of the doctors at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital for helping her to acquire an Epi-Pen through this emotionally straining process. The entire journey with their child’s medical condition, made her and her husband want to give something back to the hospital and allergy community to be able to help more under-privileged children with anaphylaxis.

Sharon realised how little awareness and understanding there was around anaphylaxis and how uninformed people were in her community regarding the severity of it. She contacted The Children’s Hospital Trust and AFSA for some help with an awareness campaign and fundraising ideas.  Her main goal is to raise funds, selling beaded bracelets for anaphylaxis awareness, with 100% of the donations to all go to the Allergy Clinic at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, for more EpiPens to become available to those families who desperately need them. This initiative could save many lives as some families with anaphylaxis do not even have funds for the taxi fare to hospital and back let alone for an auto-injector which costs over R1000!   AFSA is helping Sharon – through #GivingTuesday – to run a campaign to help her to kick-start her beaded bracelet project.  Please help Sharon to make a difference in South Africa by donating to this worthy and much needed cause.   #healingchildren   #bridgingthegap @chtrust1  @RCWMCH @SAallergy

https://www.allergyfoundation.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Glass-Blowing-workshop-2.jpg

Becoming breath sculptors – Asthma kids glassblowing workshop and exhibition

We are grateful for all the competition applications we received from children wishing to participate in the Asthma Kids Glass Blowing workshop. AFSA promoted this competition looking for children with Asthma to showcase their creativity and show the world that asthma does not define you!

On Friday, the 26th of October, our four lucky participants became breath sculptors. Thaakira Salie (age 8), Blake Leppan (age 9), Ziyaad Small (age 10) and Jessie Allot (age 11) attended a glass blowing workshop with the artist Nina Liebenberg, during which they were taught the method of blowing glass from experienced glass blower, Andre de Jager. During this session, they each created their own individual glass sculpture through shaping and forming the glass with their breaths. Each sealed individual breath is currently on display in the Iziko South African Museum, as part of the Object Ecologies exhibition, running from 3 November 2018 until 31 March 2019. When the show ends, the artist will give each sculptor their breaths back – to keep.

Thank you to artist Nina Leibenberg and Iziko Museum for making this wonderful event possible.