Thursday 11 March 2004

This site will be updated on18 March  2004 at 17:00

Lifestyle - Leefstyl

• She lights up a room
• Raak betrokke by kankerpasiënte
• Poverty indaba

She lights up a room

[ Top ]

John Goliath

NOT all people living with HIV/Aids can light up a room when they walk into it, but Patty Thomas makes a mockery of the presumption that all people living with this disease are down and out.

Full of energy and zest, she spoke at a meeting to celebrate the roll-out of antiretroviral (ARV) medication to Paarl, praising the benefits of the medication to somebody living with the dreaded virus.

"ARVs have given patients living with the virus more hope. They recover faster from other illnesses because the ARV depresses the virus and it can be

FULL STEAM AHEAD. Dr Nelis Grobbelaar (front left) of Paarl Hospital and his "Task Force" to combat aids and deliver anti-retrovirals to the community. With him are (rear from left) Carlo Prins, Helen Prezensky, JD September, Ferdie Adams, Caroline Andrews and Mahel Booysen. In front are Helen Clements, Adele Lubbe and Dr Jantjie Taljaard.

reduced," she said.
She said people with a CD 4 count below 200 who have been using ARVs have been eating better, picking up some weight and their skin rashes have improved.

"I was very ill, and when I started the treatment I got very dizzy, but now after the treatment I feel much better," she said.

Healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle are also necessary to live longer.

"There are only negative stories about HIV/Aids, but at last now we have some positive stories about it too."

These were the words of an excited Dr Nelis Grobbelaar, principal medical officer for the HIV/Aids programme at Paarl Hospital, after the first Anti-retrovirals were officially made available to HIV/Aids patients at the TC Newman Hospital.

Grobbelaar said this was the start of the celebration of the future victory over HIV and Aids.

Paarl Hospital is likely to be the base for the ARV drug distribution in the Boland area, especially for children.About 36 people can start on ARVs during this month.

Dr Breslau Kruger, medical superintendent at the Paarl Hospital, warned that the focus should still be on the prevention of the disease, by returning to biblical values.

DIE Kankervereniging (Cansa) bied die laaste twee weke van Maart vrywilliger-opleiding in die Paarl aan. 

Vrywilligers wat die opleiding voltooi, sal betrokke wees by die emosionele ondersteuning van kankerpasiënte en hul families. 

Onderwerpe wat gedurende die opleiding behandel word, sluit in wat is kanker, waarskuwingstekens, behandelingsmetodes, voeding, emosionele impak van kanker, ondersteuningsproses, afskeid en verlies en onderhoudsvoeringtegnieke.

Enigeen wat 'n  uur per week het om af te staan, kan aansoek doen om deel te word van hierdie groep. 

Cansa beoog om na afloop van hierdie opleiding ondersteuningsgroepe op die been te bring vir kankerpasiënte en hul families. 

Skakel  Mareé Lambrechts voor 18 Maart by 876-3589 (k).

A POVERTY indaba for Drakenstein will be held in Wellington tomorrow, as part of Drakenstein Municipality's integrated poverty alleviation strategy for the area.

The main aims of the indaba are the development of mutual relationships, dealing with poverty in a structured, integrated, developmental and sustainable manner, whilst ensuring that resources are optimally utilised. The initiative is based on intersectoral collaboration between state departments, community-based organisations, the religious sector, labour and business.

The indaba has been planned for stakeholders to meet, discuss and reach consensus on a common definition of poverty for Drakenstein, the manifestations of poverty, the approach to tackle it and the strategy for poverty eradication or alleviation.

[ Top ]