Event Review: Choc-The Flip Flop Launch
Review done by: Barry Viljoen
The Four Seasons Hotel – The Westcliff hosted the official media launch of CHOC’s (Childhood Cancer Foundation SA) Flip Flop Day 2022.
Set on the rocky Witwatersrand in the city of Johannesburg stands the elegant Westcliff; facing pristine views of the city while giving the impression of being removed from the general hustle and bustle. On the day the venue was kind enough to have donated its space for the event and attendees were treated to some lovely light eats and drinks.
Bongi Archi was the master of ceremonies who also entertained us with a few songs. True to his promise he brought a ray of sunshine to the proceedings with the charm of his persona and happy songs, reflected in his canary yellow jacket.
The program as well as the Foundation’s initiative was introduced by their current CEO, Hedley Lewis. He highlighted how they had chosen the Flip Flop concept because of both its simplicity and the fact that one is completely dependant upon the other; much like CHOC is dependent upon the support of the community for the raising of funds to provide the services upon which these children and their families depend.
CHOC is a registered non-profit organisation that is active in empowering, advocating for and supporting children and teenagers who have been diagnosed with cancer or other life-threatening blood disorders. The support programs on offer work at providing holistic support to the child and their families from the point of diagnosis. The services offered cover emotional support throughout their journey, offering psychosocial support during the course of treatment; or in some sad cases offering palliative, end-of-life care and bereavement support. They also offer practical support in terms of accommodation, transport to and from treatment, as well as education regarding early detection. Currently they are responsible for the care of 1500 children and their families.
We were introduced to Xichavo, himself a childhood cancer survivor, who told his story of how when diagnosed he had felt alone, scared and confused. He described the role that CHOC had played in both supporting him and his family, and how they were instrumental in getting him the treatment which he so desperately needed. As a result of this, his dream of one day becoming a chartered accountant still remains a strong possibility.
In order for CHOC to continue the exceptional work that they do; and to give back hope and open possibilities to children in the face of extreme adversity, they are in dire need of assistance with funding. Their current fundraising project is a request for the low-cost purchase of a sticker for R10, to be worn on the 18th of February. This will serve towards both raising funds for and creating awareness of this cause.
