Empangeni CANSA care centre set to move
Bay property needs to accommodate more than double the patients
THE Cancer Association of South Africa is in the process of selling its clinic and care centre in Empangeni to open a larger facility in Richards Bay.
By doing so, CANSA hopes to accommodate 15 patients at a time instead of the current seven.
‘This is a big need,’ said KZN Divisional Manager Lisa Strydom.
‘When patients come for treatment from other towns, they need secure and comfortable accommodation where they can stay for up to six weeks as they cannot travel for hours every day to get to and from treatment.
‘We also want to be able to work more closely with the various treatment centres and be more accessible to the community of Richards Bay to provide education, cancer screening and support to patients and their families.’
But to achieve this goal, Strydom said they are in desperate need of financial aid.
‘The income we receive from the sale of the Empangeni property, which is approximately R1-million, will not be sufficient to cover the cost of a new property of the size we require.
‘We are therefore looking for alternative sources of funding to help fill the gap. This money will be put aside and earmarked specifically for the new building to ensure it cannot be used as part of our operational expenses.
‘Our challenge is that we do not want people to stop supporting our normal fund-raising efforts for the new building, as this will mean that we cannot afford to keep our existing operations going in the meantime.
‘We are therefore looking for additional funding from corporates and individuals, but not for people to divert their financial support to this new project!’
Earmarked plot
A property has been identified in Arboretum, but would cost an additional R500 000 above income received from selling the Empangeni centre.
‘We are open to looking at other properties that people might have available if they meet the necessary criteria,’ said Strydom.
‘It has to be as close to town as possible – hopefully on or close to a main road so that we are easily accessible by taxi.
‘It would also be ideal to have a main house that can accommodate 12 to 15 people (sharing) or about 10 people (sharing) to start with and expand later.
‘A garden cottage with preferably two bedrooms would help to serve as our offices and clinic.
‘And we do not mind if the property needs a bit of work, as long as the structure of the building is sound.’
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