Tsakani – The Reach for a Dream Foundation launched its Dream Room at the Pholosong Regional Hospital on November 13.
The initiative, sponsored by Disney, is dedicated to alleviating the challenges children with life-threatening illnesses and their families face.
The rooms transform hospital wards and rooms into joyful spaces, providing an escape for the admitted sick children. The Dream Room initiative is also part of the foundation’s mission to provide hope, inspiration and healing spaces for children across SA.
“Everyone needs a bit of hope, particularly sick children. As Reach for a Dream, we want every child fighting a life-threatening illness to experience that hope, strength and courage.
“We want them to be children despite them being in a clinical environment. The Dream Room should allow them to explore with their imagination,” said Natalie Lazaris, the head of fundraising at Reach for a Dream.
Lazaris added that the Dream Room provides joy and entertainment and is crucial in helping children meet developmental milestones that might otherwise be delayed because of extended hospital stays.
“The room is a safe space. It is a colourful and creative environment. It lets the children experience a lighter environment, a play area with tracks to play on, a jungle gym and a Wendy house where they can read stories.
“There are also educational items inside, which include toys, sensory experiences and a Disney theatre for the children to watch movies or cartoons.
“These rooms are thoughtfully designed to provide a sense of normality, safety and creativity in what can often be an intimidating and clinical environment,” she added.
Cal and Portia White offer face painting to the children at the launch.
The walls are colourful and vibrant.
She noted that the Dream Rooms’ success is mostly due to the collaborative efforts of medical staff, nurses and volunteers, whose involvement ensures these spaces are accessible, welcoming and safe for children.
“This teamwork allows the Dream Rooms to function as a core element of paediatric care at many hospitals, fostering a positive environment for children while they navigate their treatments.
“Beyond creating healing spaces for children, this initiative is committed to empowering local communities by offering on-the-job training and work readiness programmes,” added Lazaris.
She said the launched ward would be assigned an intern to work there from Monday to Friday doing early childhood development with the children.
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The intern’s duties will include ensuring children participate in skills development programmes and have fun, like working on puzzles, reading or merely speaking to someone.
“This will ensure the children enjoy themselves and meet their developmental milestones,” said Lazaris.
She thanked Disney for sponsoring their Dream Room initiative, saying they made the rooms possible.
Christine Service, the general manager of Disney Africa, said the room would have several positive effects on the physical, emotional and psychological well-being of the children and their families.
“Disney is all about storytelling and great creativity. Our amazing characters, loved around the world, can share this initiative and bring joy into children’s lives.
“We are a brand that has the trust of families. Part of our work and responsibility is to involve ourselves with initiatives where we can give back to kids and families at a time of need,” said Service.
She added that this room was created to reduce anxiety and stress to significantly improve young patients’ moods.
“The bright colours, playful décor and special characters on the wall offer a warm, welcoming space for families to spend time together, strengthening their bonds. The character paintings also tell stories and provide joy.
“The space features a range of activities, including arts and crafts, Lego building and educational games, but not only that, some areas offer physiotherapy and motor skills, so every aspect of these rooms expresses the joy of a Disney story and characters. The infrastructure also has meaning when it comes to the medical care of the children,” she mentioned.
Pholosong acting CEO Dr Hlomile Mlahleki thanked Disney and the Reach for a Dream Foundation.
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The official opening of the ward.
Each painting tells a story while providing entertainment.
“We are excited to welcome Disney to Pholosong, and for the work we have done with Reach for a Dream that brought us together – that is not a small thing.
“I acknowledge everyone gathered here for this launch. I thank all the board members, guests from other hospitals and the design team that designed our Dream Room,” she said, adding that Pholosong is a place of healing, and nothing in the Dream Room is not intentional.
“Everything goes towards the therapy of the kids. Every item will make a difference in the children’s lives. The environment creates an atmosphere that nurtures imagination, play and learning.
“I thank the Pholosong team, especially the allied and therapeutic services who worked with the designers from Disney to ensure everything (item or toy) is part of the therapeutic experience for our young patients.
“I am proud to call myself a leader in this space filled with innovative leaders. Thank you so much, Disney and the Reach for a Dream Foundation, for making these rooms a possibility,” expressed Mlahleki.
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