Page 16 - World Airnews Magazine January 2020 Edition

NEWS

UNVEILING A TRAVEL DREAM

ROOM

ir Mauritius and its partners gath-
Aered at the Paediatric Oncology

Ward of the Charlotte Maxeke hospital, to
celebrate the opening of the Reach for a
Dream ‘Travel Dream Room’.
Led by Carla da Silva (Air Mauritius
Regional Manager: South America and
Africa), the team of Dream Makers cut
the red ribbon, officially opening the
Dream Room.
Da Silva saluted the Travel Dream Room’s
co-sponsors for their support: the Board
of Airline Representatives of South Africa

(BARSA); Flight Centre; Club Travel; Tour-
vest Travel Services; Travelstart; and XL
Travel.
“Air Mauritius has the most incredi-

ble partners in travel. Their budgets are
stretched, but they have provided the
money to sponsor this Dream Room and
have made the time to make it happen,”

she said.
She said when a child is diagnosed with
chronic illness, the whole family suf-

fers. The Reach for a Dream Foundation,
through its work, provides the whole family
with care, while also providing support to
the doctors and nurses who carry out their
life-saving work.

Julia Sotirianakos, Reach For a Dream The Travel Dream Room sponsors (back left to right) Kanaleno Makhetho (CEO

Foundation CEO, said the original vision of Club Travel Corporate), Morne du Preez (MD of Tourvest Travel Solutions)

for this project was the creation of a single Carla da Silva (Air Mauritius regional manager South America and Africa), June

Dream Room within the ward. But it was Crawford (the board of airline representatives of South Africa, CEO) and (front

thanks to the support of the Travel Dream left to right) Sue Garrett (GM marketing and product, Flight Centre) Samantha
Room sponsors that the Reach for a Dream van Gool - Peopleworks Leader, Andrew Stark (Flight Centre MD) and Marco

Foundation was able to secure not just a Ciocchetti (CEO of XL Travel) and Sailesh Parbhu (owner of XL Nexus Travel)

single room within the Paediatric Oncology

Ward, but the entire ward. And the trans- receive treatment in the oncology ward heart-warming reprieve from an otherwise

formation has been worthy of the finest can escape for a bit, to a place filled dispiriting experience.

fairy-tale. with colour, adventure and play. Lego “When the Reach for a Dream Foun-

A FAIRY-TALE TRANSFORMATION bricks tumble across a kiddies table, dation came up with the Dream Room
inviting small hands to imagine and
WITH A POWERFUL PURPOSE create. Craft kits are waiting to be concept, we didn’t have a space for it. But
The walls of the ward have been repainted, opened and plundered. And a bright- they came up with a plan for this room
and now boast vibrant murals and decals. ly coloured mobile spins, playing in that metamorphosed and grew into a
whole clinic,” said Janet Poole, principal
The once faded hospital-issue chairs have the breeze that dances in through the specialist at the Paediatric Oncology Ward

received a make-over and are now soft and Room’s tall windows. (and now the proud custodian of the
comfortable. Morne du Preez, MD of Tourvest Travel Dream Room).

Superhero characters smile out from Solutions said that the Reach for a Dream
Reach for a Dream chairman Mervyn

their new homes on the ward windows, a Foundation makes it possible for families Serebro said this Travel Dream Room is
reminder of the power of courage and care. to enjoy special moments together, even in a wonderful example of how people can
A tree of life, dressed in twinkling fairy the face of chronic illness. make a significant difference, simply

lights, has turned the waiting area into a The oncologists who work in the Paediat- by holding hands. He said the invitation

wonderland, where little people and adults ric Oncology ward every day are thrilled – by Carla da Silva to include Air Mauritius
alike can feel at rest. their ward looks welcoming and beautiful. partners has meant the result is

At the heart of the re-vamped ward is For the families who frequent the ward, phenomenal.

a Dream Room, where the children who the Reach for a Dream transformation is a
World Airnews | January 2020
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