Keeping More Than Hope
Alive For Four Decades!
What is CHOC?
Childhood Cancer Foundation SA
A non-profit organisation that advocates for the health and well-being of children and teenagers diagnosed with cancer or life-threatening blood disorders and their families.
The passionate and dedicated staff and volunteers of CHOC aim to save lives through early detection and comprehensive support programmes for the families affected by cancer.
We offer, psychosocial, emotional and practical support as we augment the different medical fraternities.
Where We Keep Hope Alive
CHOC has a national office in Johannesburg, and six regional offices offering services and support to the nine provinces of South Africa.
The regions are demographically positioned to ensure that we reach every child and family battling cancer in South Africa.
Who We Are
CHOC is a non-profit organisation made up of caring, committed and passionate people who stand up for and support the well-being of children and teenagers diagnosed with cancer or life threatening blood disorders and their families.
Why We Exist
CHOC aims to save lives through early detection and making the journey of those who are affected by childhood cancer, less burdensome through the comprehensive support programmes we offer.
How CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation Started and where we are now:
In 1977 Sister Sadie Cutland and her husband Julian’s firstborn, Hillary was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia at the age of seven.
Two years later while leaving the ward one day Sadie was particularly saddened, because Hillary had been diagnosed for two years and she had yet to meet another parent of a child with aplastic anaemia. Professor MacDougal then sowed the seed that gave Sadie the idea of forming a parents’ support group in Johannesburg. The objective was to share experiences and provide one-on-one support to each other. Sadie encouraged and inspired a group of volunteers and parents in 1979 who united to form CHOC. The caring and sharing came from personal experiences of the different emotional journeys and situations that both the parent and child could find themselves in and was shared openly, without reservations and with much love. From this hope was born and today CHOC is the leading childhood cancer organisation in South Africa providing comprehensive child and family support to thousands of childhood cancer beneficiaries. From humble beginnings today we augment the medical fraternity in hospitals across the country. What started off as a need for support, today is the helpline too many in need. These needs include psychosocial, emotional support and care, accommodation in 13 CHOC homes for patients to reside in, transportation of patients and caregivers in the fleet of 21 safe vehicles and so much more during their childhood cancer journey and beyond.
Their services provide:
Emotional support through their cancer journey as we as palliative, end-of-life care and bereavement support.
Practical support for patients and families including essential Carebags, nutritional food support, bereavement support, accommodation, transport to and from treatments and educational and awareness programmes on the early warning signs of childhood cancer.
At any one time CHOC can have over 1500 children and teenagers in their care, whilst offering psychosocial support to over 1500 families. As an NPO, it is essential that CHOC receive and sustain the funds to support these courageous children and teenagers, so that they can keep on fighting even when their young bodies are exhausted and hurting.
Our Core services are made up of:
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
- CHOC’s team of psychosocial support staff (SW / SAW) provide full time psychosocial, emotional support in the paediatric oncology units from diagnosis onwards until the end of treatment whether cure and survivorship or sadly end-of-life and bereavement support
- Emotional support is also provided by CHOC’s staff and volunteers through various in-ward and CHOC House-based patient and family support programmes
PRACTICAL SUPPORT
- Every newly diagnosed child receives a Carebag with items of practical use
- Transport Assistance to support the patient in attending treatment regularly
- Nutritional Support through a temporary provision of assistance for families in a desperate situation who cannot provide for their family’s basic needs.
- CHOC Houses/Lodges provide accommodation to out-patients.
- CHOC provides information to support our beneficiaries through the cancer journey.
- Financial Bereavement Support helps and supports parents who just lost a child.
- Post Treatment supports survivors and their families to cope with long-term effects and assist with reintegrate back into society.
CHOC advocate on the cause of childhood cancer so as to influence decision-makers (nationally and internationally) to ensure comprehensive and adequate care for all children and teens with cancer or life-threatening blood disorders.
CHOC influences policies and the human rights of childhood cancer patients and survivors.
- CHOC’s awareness programme is to significantly increase the early detection and diagnosis, towards improving the survival rate of children with cancer or a life-threatening blood disorder
- We do public awareness about childhood cancer by reaching out to communities
- We train Healthcare Workers, Traditional healers and communities on the Early Warning Signs of childhood cancer
What We Offer:
- professional emotional support
- emotional support
- accommodation close to treatment centres
- transport to and from treatment centres
- support groups (including parent supporting parent groups)
- CHOC interactive learning programme and other activities run by volunteers
- transport assistance to ensure every child and caregiver can return for treatment
- nutritional support
How We Do What We Do
Your Support Brings Hope
Being able to offer this level of support and care is all made possible through corporate sponsorship as well as donations from groups and individuals wanting to make a difference in the lives of children with cancer.
We wake up each day with the purpose to serve and support the children, parents, families and communities through their cancer journey to keep more than hope alive.
Help us bring hope to children with cancer.
why Support CHOC?
- Our reporting on expenditure is detailed and accurate and we provide audited financial statements annually.
- Cash donations qualify for a tax deduction and CHOC will issue the relevant documentation to donors within a four-week period.
- We have demonstrated visible growth and proven we deliver results.
- CHOC is governed by a board and executive committee and complies with South African labour laws and employment equity requirements, which are reported on annually.
- CHOC strives to maintain administration cost at 20% of total expenditure thus 80% of funds acquired are utilised for our programmes. This is significantly higher than the NGO sector average of between 60% and 70% utilisation on core activities.
- In 2010 CHOC was voted the 7th most trusted and admired NGO in the Ask Afrika Trust Barometer Awards.
- In 2013 MySchool, MyVillage, MyPlanet voted CHOC as the favorite NGO in SA.
- We are POPI Compliant.
Our Strategic plan includes:
- To ensure effective operations and long-term sustainable growth.
- To develop and implement post-treatment programmes.
- To provide quality core programmes nationally.
- To continue growing, and to expand across SA, increase national visibility and collaborate internationally.
- To be the recognised authority in childhood cancer, in order to influence decision makers.
- To significantly increase early detection and diagnosis.
CHOC is an internationally recognised NPO which relies on funds donated by individuals, companies, trusts and foundations, and investments. We also host a few fundraising projects and events to accrue further funding. Funds raised by CHOC directly benefit the children and their families as well as support those who are involved in the treatment of childhood cancer.
Find out more about CHOC & what we offer
To contact the CHOC office in your region,
click on the areas below:
Gauteng South Region
Northern Region
Eastern Cape Region
KwaZulu-Natal Region
Western Cape & Namakwa Region