PROF IL E: S T JO SEPH’S HOME
HOLISTIC HEALTHCARE
FOR MEDICALLY FRAGILE CHILDREN St Joseph’s Home in Cape Town, a nonprofit paediatric intermediate care facility, has been providing children with holistic healthcare for 86 years. THANDO PATO explores the home’s history, fundraising challenges and the impact of COVID-19
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ver the last 85 years, St Joseph’s Home in Montana, Cape Town has provided medical care, rehabilitation and psychosocial support to 23 000 children from surrounding areas. What started as a passion project for five Pallottine Sisters from Germany back in 1935, is now a fully fledged, multidisciplinary facility for ill children, from birth to 18 years. “Our goal is to provide holistic, family-centred, intermediate care to children experiencing life-threatening and life-limiting conditions so that they can return to their homes, school, and community at their optimal level of functioning,” says CEO Christelle Cornelius. St Joseph’s Home was founded in response to the severe impact of tuberculosis on children in the community, exacerbated by extreme poverty. “In response, Sister Pankratia and five Sisters from Germany started the St Joseph’s community. On the 3 October 1935, 11 children arrived and others followed.” Cornelius says the sisters were primarily nursing the critically ill, but soon recognised the need to include education. In its early years, the home was supported by the church, local parishes, Community Chest, and donations from surrounding neighbourhoods. In 1950, the home received a generous government grant and was able to extend its services and construct a therapy pool. In 1964, the group areas act declared Phillipi a “black area” and alternate accommodation was required. This resulted in the formalisation of the Pallottine Order and allowed for the registration of a company to secure financing to build at the new site in an undeclared area, now known as Montana.
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, THE HOME HAS REMAINED TRUE TO ITS FOUNDING ETHOS OF RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF THE TIME IN CHRISTIAN LOVE.
In 1967, the facility moved to New Phillipi and in 1972, St Joseph’s was registered as a health facility. In 1986, a school was added.
CHALLENGES and CHANGES Throughout the years, the home has remained true to its founding ethos of responding to the needs of the time in Christian love. Cornelius says that from the late ’80s infectious diseases and the response to the HIV epidemic became central to the home’s care model. “Trauma-related life-limiting conditions and neurological conditions also increased and the need for specialised staffi ng became urgent.” The 175-bed facility has a 137-strong staff complement comprising nurses, therapists, social workers, educational support, youth care workers and the Pallottine Sisters. These areas of expertise are vital in ensuring St Joseph’s purpose of providing a child-centred model of healthcare. “At St Joseph’s, children have access to 24-hour nursing care, therapy and education while they recover and prepare to reintegrate into their environments,” Cornelius explains. Running costs for the six-ward facility amount to R43-million a year. The home is a registered nonprofit and receives some funding from the Department of Health but largely depends on donations from the public. “We don’t have any corporate sponsors currently and rely on donations and support from organisations,
“OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE HOLISTIC, FAMILY-CENTRED, INTERMEDIATE CARE TO CHILDREN EXPERIENCING LIFE-THREATENING AND LIFE-LIMITING CONDITIONS SO THAT THEY CAN RETURN TO THEIR HOMES, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY AT THEIR OPTIMAL LEVEL OF FUNCTIONING.” – CHRISTELLE CORNELIUS
trusts, foundations and our fundraising efforts like the Happy Nappy Drive. “In 2014, we were fortunate to receive a generous donation that enabled the renovation of wards and therapy areas, resulting in greater opportunities for excellent care and best patient outcomes,” says Cornelius. The COVID-19 pandemic is hindering some fundraising efforts and impacting the facility’s volunteer programme. “How we provided care changed completely with all the new protocols for engagement, which spanned the entire organisation, from contact activities to cleaning protocols and volunteer engagement. A critical component of our service is engaging with families and caregivers to better patient outcomes. During the higher-level lockdowns, parent visits had to be reduced and until now are only offered under supervision. This is difficult for children, their families and staff.” Despite these challenges St Joseph’s goal has not changed: “Every child who is medically fragile has the right to excellent holistic healthcare, delivered in the spirit of Christian love and devotion,” says Cornelius. “We will always strive to be a centre of excellence in paediatric intermediate care and remain indispensable to the community we serve. We believe that God’s grace has given us the privilege of retaining our values and vision for the last 86 years.”
ST JOSEPH’S HOME: WHAT WE DO
Christelle Cornelius
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