Blessed Gérard's Palliative Care Centre

Regular home visits helped a family care for their daughter and gave them renewed hope.

Three people describe how nursing care, kindness and companionship helped them through difficult times.

Reports about our Outpatient Hospice

Reports about our Outpatient Hospice

Reports about our Outpatient Hospice

Reports about our hospice

My brother, Father Gerhard, gets a call. He asks me, "Would you like to come with me, I have been called. I am going to see a dying person." I don't hesitate and come along silently. I don't know what…

Jabulani talks about his life and what "being happy" means to him.

Sinenhlanhla talks about her life and dreams as a young girl.

Mbongani has been in the hospice for several months. He was admitted to our hospice because of advanced tuberculosis and severe skin problems.

Christmas in the children's hospice under Corona conditions

Reports about our Outpatient Hospice

In 2019, Father Sylvester Tusaninkosi Ngema described what care, community and prayer at the Care Centre meant to him.

On a home-care visit, volunteer Julia Abspacher meets a former hospice patient who is feeling better. The care team’s joy stays with her.

During a home visit, a patient described a rare meal with meat. The care team helped with medication and food parcels.

In 2019, two women experienced how hospice and home care teams supported them and their families through difficult times.

Lucas lived apart from his family. The home care team continued to visit him, offering practical care and human kindness.

In 2018, two people described how the hospice gave them care, reassurance and time to talk.

Thabani Zungu describes how a home care course and volunteering led him to a job he loves.

In 2017, three women described how the care centre offered them safety, kindness and renewed hope.

In 2017, two patients described how the hospice supported them and their families through difficult times.

Reports about our hospice

A young boy recovered at the hospice in 2016, and his laughter brought joy to its corridors.

In 2016, two women described what nursing care, rest and human kindness meant to them at the hospice.

Three accounts from 2016 show how home care and ambulance teams reached people far from the main roads.

After a stroke, Joseph found nursing care, companionship and reassurance at the hospice in 2016.

Sabatha explains why he returned to the Care Centre and how the people there supported him.

Zinhle Zulu describes how she supported hospice patients as a volunteer care assistant through exercises, conversation and song.

A doll helped the hospice team build trust with Thobile and care for her with patience and understanding.

A care team visited Xolani at his remote home, listened to him and planned a route to further treatment.

At the hospice, 13-year-old Phumulani received pain relief and loving care. Having someone hold his hand brought calm during his final weeks.

Sicelo regained strength in the hospice. The home care team regularly reached Busisiwe in her remote settlement.

One patient asks for a photo to be taken to Germany. An older woman asks for another visit, and the request becomes a regular meeting.

Iona Hughan learned how music, patient nursing and simple acts of kindness helped people retain dignity at the end of life.

During her 2012 visit, Dr Katja Heering saw how shared laughter, listening and an outing shaped daily life at the Care Centre.

One patient looks forward to visits from her children, a little girl laughs during play, and a woman answers with a wink.

In the 2008 newsletter, families thank the hospice for ambulance transport, nursing care and support at home.

It was one day before Christmas Eve when little Hawukelani*, just under 5 months old, was brought to us by his mother. He had diarrhoea, was constantly vomiting and did not want to drink properly. So…

Siphosenkosi was his name.

This means "gift of the Lord" in the Zulu language and we all called him simply "Sipho" for short. One and a half year old Sipho came to us on 2 October 2003. The social…

When local clinics could not help during a national nurses’ strike, Nothando’s mother found support at the Care Centre.

It is Wednesday 9 May. We got a call for a home visit. In principle, nothing unusual, because relatives or neighbours often call us and tell us that there is a sick person in the family or…

In memory of Menzi

by Sr. Sheilagh Schröder

It was literally an answer to prayer that I came to work for Blessed Gérard's Care Centre. I had been working part-time in nursing in England and really…

After a serious illness, Thuli regained her strength with the support of her family and the hospice team. Six months later, she was able to return home.

In newsletter no. 25, volunteer Thomas Müller recounts two home visits and the patients’ decisions to accept care at the hospice and Care Centre.

Dr Roux Martinez, then a resident in trauma and transplant surgery in Cape Town/South Africa, answered the question why she became an active member of the Brotherhood of Blessed Gérard:
"Indeed, there…

The Brotherhood of Blessed Gérard responded to the concentrated and enormous distress of the South African AIDS pandemic in many ways.

The story of Thandi and her son Bhekithemba should give you an impression of the terrible situation of many people in our area and show you how we help people in a meaningful and effective way:

Thandi…

Our President, Fr Gerhard, is a Missionary Benedictine from the Archabbey of St Ottilien in Germany and was sent out as a missionary to Inkamana Abbey in South Africa on 6 January 1987. When two of…

Today my friends and I are going to collect our retirement pensions. We will all meet at the pension office. We have a lot to tell each other and then we will buy fruit and bread from the market women…

Now I am happy, I have no more pain and no more fear!

- Sduduzo's mother tells his story and her own -

My name is Mpume and in July 2000, like everyone else, I was happy and confident about the…

AIDS

Here in Germany, the deadly immunodeficiency is hardly ever talked about. In Africa, however, it is devastating an entire continent. In South Africa, almost a thousand people die every week as a…

Khululiwe is only 15 when she becomes a mother. Particularly tragic: the young woman is already infected with the deadly HIV virus and so her baby is also born with the deadly pathogen. See now the…

Bongani was brought to us on a Friday evening by his grieving grandmother. She was grieving for her daughter who had died of AIDS two weeks earlier and this was her baby. The grandmother had not known…

We celebrate Mass every weekday in the chapel of Blessed Gérard's Care Centre & Hospice for the patients, volunteers and staff. In this way we experience help and strength in accepting Christ's…

In March 1999, two parents thanked the Care Centre for the loving care their daughter received in her final days.

In 1998, David Dempsey Dunn arrived at the hospice seriously ill. After care and an operation, he was able to return home.

The new nurse at Blessed Gerard's Care Centre

It is with great pleasure that we introduce Sr Sanet van Zyl [pronounced: Sannètt fann Säil]. We would also like to welcome her very warmly to our team at…