We volunteer initially, to lose ourselves; and we volunteer, next, to find ourselves...
We volunteer to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our
newspapers will accommodate... We volunteer in essence, to become young fools again
- to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more...
Bethesda is a Christian faith based multi-denominational section 21 Company; providing
comprehensive medical care, social work services, relief and pastoral care to destitute
community members, irrespective of their race or creed; with the aim of assisting
these communities to develop sustainable programs capable of overtaking the devastating
socio-economic impact of the HIV/AIDS and poverty crises.
Hospice is not a place; it is all-embracing circle of care, hope and support for those who need it, regardless of their ability to pay. Bethesda hospice promotes quality in life, dignity in death and support in bereavement for all those living with a life-threatening illness. Bethesda Hospice in-patient unit offer pain and symptom control and respite care for families. Bereaved families receive counselling to cope with the death of a loved one.
The World Health Organisation defines palliative care as “an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing problems associated with life threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering, the early identification and impeccable assessment and the treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychological and spiritual.”
Palliative care is applicable early in the course of illness, in conjunction with other therapies that are intended to prolong life, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and includes those investigations needed to better understand and manage distressing clinical complications. There is a difference between palliative care and hospice care, with the core ingredients for palliative care being holistic care that embraces family and loved ones, pain control and access to medication.
We strive to provide holistic care for children in a safe environment.
The Child and Youth Care Centre accommodate 45 children and
youths and is also registered as a place of safety for emergency
placements. The majority of children are admitted as a result of
neglect or abuse and +/- 5% of them are orphans. Professional
therapists provide therapeutic and developmental programmes for
all children in our care.
Bethesda Community Based Care is a multi-disciplinary approach to providing care in a practical, hands-on one offered mainly in patients’ homes. Bethesda Community Based Care promotes quality in life, dignity in death and support in bereavement for all those living with a life-threatening illness.
Bereaved families receive counselling to cope with the death of a loved one. We strive to empower and mobilize the community to look after themselves and each other; this can only be achieved with education, health services, social services and job creation.
The integrated community based care program can address all these issues and make a sustainable difference.
