This spring we celebrate health, wellness, and hope as governments across the world roll out vaccines and roll back restrictions. Within our own Christel House world, we’re promoting wellness with the Virtual Walk Around the World. As we come together as a community to get fit, have fun, and raise funds, we’re supporting the resilience and well-being of students around the world, such as Zoe S. at Christel House South Africa (CHSA). With the support of Christel House social workers, Zoe was able to bounce back from medical complications this year.
Zoe is an 11 year old Grade 6 student at CHSA. She lives in Crawford, part of Cape Town, with her mother, grandmother, and older brother Matthew, a Grade 10 Christel House student. Zoe enjoys physical activity and the great outdoors. In fact, her favorite things to do in Cape Town are climbing the iconic Table Mountain and going to the beach. But this year, Zoe experienced pain and sickness that landed her in the hospital. After she was hooked up to machines, her doctors found a cyst on her kidney. She needed to go through surgery to heal.
Surgery was physically challenging and emotionally taxing. Zoe was afraid she wasn’t going to wake up. When she experienced pain after surgery, she worried that she would need additional treatment. But throughout every challenge, Zoe was supported by her school. “Christel House really helped me. I visited social services every week and the Social Workers let me do some activities, they asked me questions, and allowed me to be myself around them and just talk about my fears,” she said.
With support from the Christel House community, Zoe recovered and is healthy again. She told us that her favorite part of Christel House is the people—her teachers, her social workers, and her peers. On the road to a full recovery, Zoe says “I can run without stopping and I’m hoping to do athletics again!”
This spring, by walking, running, and biking, you can join the circle of Zoe’s supporters and friends. When you donate to Christel House through the Virtual Walk Around the Christel House world, 100% of your donations goes to programs and services.
Run without stopping to support Zoe and her classmates at Christel House South Africa, and join our virtual walk today. Register now: [link:https://www.charityfootprints.com/cf_website/eventdetails?id=643 ].