kulula.com and Reach For A Dream have joined forces to create the first Dream Room for children in hospitals, with the first opening at Steve Biko Paediatric Oncology Clinic in Pretoria today.
The Dream Room will be a sanctuary in a hospital where children with life-threatening illnesses can escape their clinical surroundings and experience the joy of being a child. There will eventually be 30 such rooms at hospitals which provide critical care to children with life-threatening diseases between the ages of three and eighteen.
“It was our aim to create safe spaces catered to the needs of children, for them to just be kids again and have a happy place to go to while they’re in hospital. This room, in partnership with kulula.com, is our first and we hope to create many more of these all-over South Africa,” says Natalie Lazaris, Head of Business Development at the Reach for a Dream Foundation.
“Reach For A Dream was established in 1988 and aims to take children out into a new environment with their families to create ‘dream experiences’. But for those who rely heavily on constant treatment and observation, it’s impossible to step out of the hospital, which is why the Dream Room concept is so important.”
Shaun Pozyn, Head of Marketing at kulula.com says “kulula.com and Comair are delighted to have partnered with the Reach for a Dream Foundation to support this very important initiative. It’s part of our brand promise to champion the spirit of possibility and we hope that our Dream Room will inspire and instil courage and hope in all the little fighters, giving them hope beyond any illness and obstacle that they may face.”
The rooms will help children mentally and physically to get away from the hospital wards and their treatment. “Instead, they can just go and have fun, read, play and focus on activities that entertain and stimulate them. Our brand is all about fun and it is our hope that our Dream Room will be just this and allow children who get to visit it, to dream big and make those dreams a reality,” concludes Pozyn.
To support other Dream Rooms around the country, please contact Natalie Lazaris at natalie@reachforadream.org.za
