What an amazing quote

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why they call it the present".

Alice Morse Earle.

Carpe Diem.

Zimkids Project Update August, 2010

The following is a Zimkids update from Dennis:

Dear friends of Zimkids,

A year and a half ago, 10-year old Brian Dube showed up at Zimkids coughing and weak. We took him to the doctor, who diagnosed him with both HIV and active tuberculosis and put him on medications for both. It was too late for his tiny body; he died in the middle of his night while sleeping with his grandmother.

Six months later, we lost 17-year-old Simsethu. HIV positive and on antiretroviral treatment, she’d run out of medication and informed no one. After two strokes, she succumbed in the summer of 2009.

Their deaths were a wake-up call, and I realized that food wasn’t enough; we had to make health care for the children a priority. Since then, we have tested all of them for HIV, and those who proved positive are now on medication. And we regularly take kids in for treatment for scabies and worms, tuberculosis and myriad other infections. We have had no deaths among the children since then.

But our caregivers have not fared so well.

Sizi Moyo, mother of Musa and Mthabisi, died this February at the age of 42 of HIV-related illnesses, having refused antiretroviral treatment. Three weeks earlier, she’d given birth to a 4-pound baby boy.

Esther Mashaba’s mother Sekai, died later that month at the age of 35, also of an HIV-related illness. She had refused to be tested.

At the beginning of June, we buried Sidumisile Ngwenya’s mother, Sithibile, following what appeared to be a diabetic coma. We’ll never know for sure since the hospital did nothing to figure out what was wrong with this funny, energetic woman who’d seemed in perfect health.

Then, Busisizwe Fuyani’s mother, Sibongile, suddenly fell ill. She’d had a rough time after her husband, Vigour, died in 2008. His family had taken everything they’d owned, and she’d been forced to move in with her sister. But she’d raised an amazing son, who’d just been elected to our Council of Elders. Sibongile languished in the hospital without treatment or diagnosis. Her nieces had to feed and bathe her. She died two weeks later.

We at Zimkids made a decision long ago that we would rather provide ever-deeper care to the children we serve than to increase our numbers, and we now provide them with food, medical, educational and social resources. After this year’s disasters, we realized that we also need to protect our caregivers’ health and provide them with the tools to support the children. When a caregiver dies, the children left behind are too often sent to live in rural areas, where there is no schooling, no healthcare and no support. Thus far, we have managed to keep Busisizwe, Sidumisile, Musa and Mthabisi and Esther in the community, where we can continue to provide for them. But we cannot risk adding to their numbers by neglecting their grandparents and aunts.

We’ve updated our website with more thorough biographies of both the individual children and their caregivers. In the caregivers bios we included their wish for the tools that would bring in income.

I’m back in the States fundraising until November and while I’m gone, all Zimkids programs continue under Tinashe’s guidance. I’m hoping to be able to take back a stack of educational DVDs and used laptops when I return. If you have either that you no longer need, please think of us. This year, we’re really hoping to bolster our educational programs.

Thank you for your continued kindness, support and concern.

Post World Cup

Wow. Where do I begin? The last couple of months have been simply amazing and sad.

Let me start with the sad part. I (we) have lost 2 friends recently to cancer. Rest in peace Doreen and Tom. Doreen, who lived in London, England fought a valiant battle but eventually succumbed to this awful disease. She was also involved with Dr. Sidransky and the mice research but unfortunately, was too weak to be able to benefit from the research findings. Tom, who lived in Louisville, Kentucky had a relatively brief battle with lung cancer. He was a fellow co-worker at UPS.

I am also in touch with many other individuals who are dealing with different cancers. I wish them all strength and good health. Keep up the good fight and remember we are all "living" with cancer and not "dying" from it.

I thought that my recent trip to Zim and seeing the goings on with ZimKids would be hard to top. Well, I was wrong. Sort of. As special as the ZimKids encounter was, the World Cup trip was equally as special but for very different reasons.

It was like an objective for me to be fine and well and to go to the World Cup 2010. The objective was realized and we (Robyn and I) had the most incredible time. There are so many people to thank starting with my family, friends and medical professionals. You know who you are! My South African friends were unbelievable going above and beyond to make us feel at home and to help make this event truly magical. The pictures speak volumes. All that is left to say is:

Thank you and see you all in Brazil in 2014.

Carpe Diem.

Hwange, Zimbabwe

Carpe Diem.

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Carpe Diem.

The Final

Carpe Diem.

Cape Town

World Cup - South Africa

We are having an absolute ball here in South Africa. The weather has been great and the soccer has been unbelievable. I have posted a whole bunch of photos on Facebook and will write about all of this soon.

Carpe Diem.

My dream

About 3 years ago Robyn (our daughter) came up to me and said "Dad, we have to go to World Cup. It's in South Africa". I contemplated this for a micro-second and said "sure".

Just over 2 1/2 years ago I received my lung cancer diagnosis. At that time, I honestly and truly did not know what lay ahead for me. Back then it became a dream for me to go to World Cup. Well that dream came true. I'm sitting here in Zurich on my way to South Africa for World Cup 2010. And yes, Robyn is sitting right next to me.

Sadly, I just found out that a co-worker who was diagnosed with lung cancer just a short while ago has passed away. You just don’t know what you are going to be dealt in life’s game of cards. So I stay with the mantra of each day is special and……………

Carpe Diem.

World Cup 2010

It's been a while but I have finally gotten off my lazy arse to update the blog. Why, you ask? Because tomorrow (Tuesday June 24th) Robyn and I leave for the soccer World Cup in South Africa.

I'm having a treatment today (Bio 7 Round 1). I'm sure everything will go well. I'm feeling pretty good and look fine so things internally, better be good!!!

This picture was taken on September 7th, 2007. It's the new construction site of Green Point stadium in Cape Town. The now shot is below it.


Carpe Diem.