Bigshoes paediatric palliative care programme began in 2003 when Bigshoes (then CHOMP) partnered with the Hospice Association of the Witwatersrand (HAW) to set up a children’s in-patient unit within their then predominantly adult focused palliative care unit in Johannesburg.The partnership was further extended in 2007 with the setting up of a second children’s in patient palliative care unit in Soweto.
In addition to this hospice based work, the Bigshoes Foundation, with funding support from the Princess Diana Memorial Fund, started the first hospital based paediatric palliative care team in South Africa in Johannesburg in 2006. This team provides a consultative service to the Chris Hani Baragwanath, Charlotte Maxeke and Rahima Moosa hospitals in Johannesburg. A second team in Durban will be providing a service to Clairwood hospital. Bigshoes most recently established hospital based paediatric palliative care team in Cape Town provides a service to the Red Cross Children's, Mowbray Maternity and Groote Schuur hospitals.
Funding for the design and maintenance of this website was provided through a grant awarded to the Bigshoes Foundation by the Open Society Institute that supports Bigshoes' hospital based paediatric palliative care programmes in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Sunday, 10 January 2010 21:34
The Bigshoes Foundation
Bigshoes is all about medical interventions that assist orphaned and vulnerable children to grow up to fill big shoes!These interventions are delivered through four programmes: an abandoned baby programme, medical clinics and outreach, training and palliative care. Interventions include HIV testing, adoption medicals, basic child health training for caregivers, advocacy and paediatric palliative care. Bigshoes’ head office is situated in Johannesburg with a satellite in Soweto and branches in Durban and now Cape Town. Further information can be found at their website: www.bigshoes.org.za
