Page 17 - World Airnews Magazine January 2020 Edition

NEWS NEWS

UNVEILING A TRAVEL DREAM THE MAGIC INGREDIENT:
COLLABORATION
BARSA CEO, June Crawford noted the tremendous

ROOM impact that collaboration can have. The sentiment

was echoed by Marco Ciocchetti, CEO of XL Travel:

“When we get together, we make great things
happen”.
This is the ninth Dream Room that has been
launched successfully by the Reach for a Dream

Foundation, with the support of sponsors, since the

Foundation announced the initiative in 2018. The

goal is to open 50 such Dream Rooms at hospitals

ir Mauritius and its partners gath- across the country, providing chronically ill children
Aered at the Paediatric Oncology and their families with sanctuary.

Ward of the Charlotte Maxeke hospital, to Andrew Stark, Flight Centre MD, thanked
celebrate the opening of the Reach for a the Reach for a Dream Foundation for its excep-
Dream ‘Travel Dream Room’. tional work. “Heroes help others. It’s all about
Led by Carla da Silva (Air Mauritius helping those who can’t help themselves,”
Regional Manager: South America and he said.
Africa), the team of Dream Makers cut The Dream Rooms are individually conceptualised
the red ribbon, officially opening the by Mandi Fine and her team at the Fine Group. “This
Dream Room. is my dream job,” said Fine.
Da Silva saluted the Travel Dream Room’s She said that each Dream Room is very carefully

co-sponsors for their support: the Board planned so that it meets the needs of the patients,
of Airline Representatives of South Africa their families and the doctors it will serve. This

(BARSA); Flight Centre; Club Travel; Tour- Travel Dream Room was the product of nearly six
vest Travel Services; Travelstart; and XL months of planning and work
Travel. Kanaleno Makhetho, CEO of Club Travel Corpo-
“Air Mauritius has the most incredi- rate, pointed out that the Travel Dream

ble partners in travel. Their budgets are Room was an excellent opportunity to partner
stretched, but they have provided the with industry competitors to do something good,
money to sponsor this Dream Room and to show kindness and love to patients and their
have made the time to make it happen,” families.

she said. Air Mauritius Ambassador (and also a Reach RIGHT: A group of volunteer
She said when a child is diagnosed with for a Dream Ambassador) Jonathan Boynton-Lee, superheroes visited the Travel Dream
chronic illness, the whole family suf- said big corporations have a responsibility to Room to celebrate its grand opening.
These superheroes visited the
fers. The Reach for a Dream Foundation, give back. paediatric oncology ward, handing

through its work, provides the whole family He said the significance of the Travel Dream Room out cupcakes to the young patients

with care, while also providing support to sponsors is leading by example. “I love that we’re
the doctors and nurses who carry out their helping kids’ dreams come true,” he said. Q
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 Carla da Silva and Julia
A tree of life, dressed in twinkling fairy the face of chronic illness. make a significant difference, simply Sotirianakos (Reach For a Dream

lights, has turned the waiting area into a The oncologists who work in the Paediat- by holding hands. He said the invitation Foundation CEO) with Janet Poole

wonderland, where little people and adults ric Oncology ward every day are thrilled – by Carla da Silva to include Air Mauritius (centre), at the grand opening

alike can feel at rest. their ward looks welcoming and beautiful. partners has meant the result is of the Travel Dream Room, at
At the heart of the re-vamped ward is For the families who frequent the ward, phenomenal. the Charlotte Maxeke hospital

a Dream Room, where the children who the Reach for a Dream transformation is a
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