TWO hard-working knitters have brought smiles to the faces of 100 children with cancer over the festive season, thanks to their donation of hand-knitted teddies.
Over two months, Diane Naude and her mother Shirley Wood, 83, knitted 100 colourful teddies handed over to CHOC (Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa) as a kind gesture for children experiencing hardship over the season.
“When you are sick, there’s nothing better than having something to cuddle,” said Naude, who had the time to do her bit for others because her grandchildren will not be around this festive season to keep her busy.
“I have known Debbie [Kleinenberg] since school and seeing what she does, I also decided to do my little bit to help,” Naude said.
Wood, who lives at the Weavers Retirement Centre said: “I can’t sit in front of the TV without something in my hand. It keeps me out of trouble. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of making these teddies. It’s a challenge to see how far you can get in one day. “Sometimes I would stay up past midnight finishing off the last leg.
“I think of Diane as Mother Teresa because she is always doing something to help somebody,” Wood chuckled.
CHOC regional manager, Debbie Kleinenberg, was astounded that two women could knit so many teddies in only two months.
“It’s lovely for the children to get a teddy as a comforter and brand new teddies are even better, because doctors are very specific about the hygiene requirements of the children, who have low immune systems,” Kleinenberg said.
“I will give them out as Christmas gifts to the children in the home and put the remaining ones into care bags for newly-diagnosed patients.”
