The sweetest way to help save a child’s life
It’s the 2024 Paris Olympics and the world is gearing up to watch the elite of the elite undertake their biggest achievements. In South Africa, in the Cupcakes of Hope world, there are two Olympians who are also sweetening the world of children with cancer.
In June 2024, Olympian runner Lythe Pillay delivered some of the 602 winter care bag deliveries that were given to families and patients in oncology units throughout the country. Olympian rugby player Ronald Brown has become a Cupcakes of Hope ambassador to carry his own cancer story of hope to children. The Olympics torchbearer Ronel Steyn is also currently fundraising for Stehan, who is fighting for his life at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, where he is undergoing severe chemotherapy for leukaemia.
“We started Cupcakes of Hope to provide financial and emotional support to the families of children fighting cancer,” says founder Sandy Cipriano. “The support from Olympians inspired us to launch the #Go4Gold Fun-raiser, from which we are also raising funds for ingredients for our 2 000 Cupcake Angels throughout the country.”
The Cupcake Angels are volunteer bakers who host events and sell cupcakes to raise funds for Cupcakes of Hope. “Since inception, we’ve been joined by more and more bakers,” says Cipriano. “Everyone used to have flour, oil and sugar in their cupboards, so it has been an easy way for people to make a difference. Since last year, however, the cost of living has seriously impacted every household. People no longer have what used to be basic ingredients in their cupboards. So, we are raising funds now for both our bakers and for the children.”
In 2023, Cupcakes of Hope received 2 859 financial requests for children facing life-threatening diseases, delivered 2 640 activity care bags to 20 paediatric oncology wards across South Africa, and provided 120 birthday gifts to young cancer patients.
“In the first half of 2024, we have already received 1 394 requests for financial assistance, have provided three wheelchairs/strollers, delivered 1 042 care bags, surprised 61 patients for their birthday with gifts, and delivered 700 thank-you gifts to nurses and doctors to celebrate Nurses and Doctors Day in May,” adds Cipriano.
Johannesburg-based Ofentse Choma is one of the beneficiaries of Cupcakes of Hope’s assistance. Choma has retina blastoma and has received multiple surgeries in the public sector to try and rehabilitate his eye socket and enable him to wear a functional prosthesis. When the eye fornix prolapsed, he required specialist and complicated surgery to fix and prevent the fornix from doing so again (the fornix permits freedom of movement of the eyelids).
His mother Wendy says, “The Cupcake Angels have helped me so much that I do not know where to start on listing all they have done. My son and I were given transport money when we needed it. They are buying birthday presents for my son’s birthday and they are assisting with the operation costs. I am so grateful to them!”
Says Cipriano, “As we head toward our annual fundraising event in September, South Africa’s National Cupcake Day 4 Kids with Cancer, we would like to support our Cupcake Angels. They have never asked us for a thing, and we would like to pay it forward now by providing them with assistance with ingredients to bake up their batches. This is by far the SWEETEST way to help save a life!”
Brown comments, “I support Cupcakes of Hope simply because it’s an organisation that keeps many a person’s dream alive and provides essential help to achieve and overcome challenges in life. For those children who are fighting cancer, my message is to be patient, don’t look too far ahead and take it day by day, step by step. Keep your family close and let them support you where they can. The toughest battles are given to the toughest soldiers, so keep fighting!”
Join the fun-raiser or assist with donations.
