CPUT Students donate R4,000 to cancer patients

The cheque was handed over to the Panthers Against Cancer recently at a ceremony in Paarl, and the donation was later made to the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA).

CANSA is a non-profit organisation, started in 1931 which was born out of compassion for people affected by cancer. They mobilise volunteers to offer health programmes and support communities across the country to ensure that cancer patients and their families are cared for.

Final year student and mentor Corne Conradie said they came up with the idea of fundraising in order to bring about unity among the students as they were working towards a common goal.

“It’s good that we are making what we learn in class a lived experience,” she said.

Lecturer Lu-Anne Kearns said the students’ philanthropic gesture gave her a sense of hope that the country is going to be a better place.

“We are producing teachers with compassion and empathy. I am enthralled by how they did it, this is how we change the country,” said Kearns.

Kearns commended the mentoring programme on her campus and said the mentors were crucial in facilitating for the settling of the first years as they give them support.

In September 2017 a new cohort of mentors was trained by the faculty and the programme for this year’s orientation week was also developed. Millicent Hendricks, who received the donation on behalf of CANSA thanked the students for giving generously to cancer patients