OUR MISSION STATEMENT
WE AIM TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE, PROFESSIONAL AND ETHICAL PATIENT-CENTERED CARE THROUGH A MULTIFACETED APPROACH ALIGNED WITH UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic our aim remains to reach the most vulnerable within the communities free of charge.
Our history from yesteryear to date…
In the early 1990’s two ladies who happened to be very good friends and neighbours Laetitia le Grange and Lisa Klopper, a qualified nursing sister, started the foundation for what is today known as The Tygerberg Hospice Trust.
The two friends took a Hospice training course in Helderberg and started organising the formation of a local hospice in the Durbanville/Bellville area. This hospice consisted of a group of volunteers, mainly looking after terminally ill patients in their homes and providing assistance to their families.
In October 1994 The Tygerberg Hospice was officially founded. Henriette Venter served on the committee and was the liaison between Hospice and The Rotary Club of Bellville.
In early 1995 the committee accepted an offer of St. Luke’s Hospice Kenilworth to become a “satellite” of them. St. Luke’s provided and paid for a nurse along with the cost of her vehicle and they also assisted with the training of the first groups of volunteers. The St. Luke’s connection was added to The Tygerberg Hospice logo.
In 1996 under Cecily Cole’s management Tygerberg Hospice grew rapidly. By the end of the year it became clear that they no longer needed to operate under the guidance of St. Luke’s Hospice and a decision was made to become independent again.
The committee members approached the Municipality for assistance. A house was made available in Maree Street, Bellville, on a 99-year lease agreement.
With the help of volunteers and service organisations, the house and outbuildings were refurbished to better suit the needs of a hospice.
From 1 registered nurse, 5 volunteers and 25 patients in 1997, Tygerberg Hospice has helped thousands of patients over the years!
In March 1997 a trust was established and registered as The Tygerberg Hospice Trust with social development in November 1997 under Cecily Cole’s chairmanship. It was started with 1 registered nurse, 5 volunteers and 25 patients, operating from the Maree Street property. Generous donations of second-hand clothing, books and furniture poured in. Two dedicated volunteers worked tirelessly to convert the garage of the house into a charity shop. The shop was run by a group of volunteers and soon proved to be a good source of constant income.
In November 1999 The Tygerberg Hospice Trust was registered as a Non-Profit Organisation.
In September 2001 Tygerberg Hospice purchased its first property at 8 Sarel Cilliers Street, Bellville. This had the ideal locality, almost next door to the Maree Street property which could still be retained. The Home-Based Palliative Care Centre was run from here and the office space was used by staff. The Care Team consisted of Palliative Sisters, a Social Worker, a Medical Doctor and a Spiritual councellor. This building was also used for Administration, Fundraising and Day Care for patients. The Maree Street property was converted into a Charity Shop which is today known as the Sunshine Shop.
In March 2003 a second property was purchased at 7 Sarel Cilliers Street, Bellville. Today this property is our Head Office. The property also has a training room which was originally used for ad hoc functions, meetings and as a training facility.
On 18 February 2011, Tygerberg Hospice officially opened an Transitional Care Facility at Karl Bremer Hospital in partnership with the Department of Health. Today this facility operates as a 40-bed, 24-hour, 7 days week facility. The unit has an average of 60 staff members who host and treat +/- 70 patients per month with a bed occupancy of 85% per month with patient/family interventions of +/- 245 people per month. The multi-disciplinary team assist with rehabilitation and improving the quality of life of all patients.
Lucille Mitchell has been part of The Tygerberg Hospice Trust since 2004 and substantially re-organized the internal structures of Tygerberg Hospice and played a valuable role in external hospice structures and local communities as a whole.
Appointed in May 2019 as General Manager, she leads the teams in operations, fundraising and finances to ensure services continue, especially during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her desire to sustain the quality of healthcare delivery is one of her motivations to uphold the rich tradition and help communities to create and maintain a foundation that focuses on community outreach for palliative care.
On 1 March 2021, she was appointed as a board member of the Karl Bremer Hospital Facility Board and is now serving as the Finance Chair to the Hospital Board.
Over the years Tygerberg Hospice has grown from strength to strength and to date a fleet of eleven vehicles as well as medical equipment, enabling the Nursing Staff to render much-needed services within the community. The Care Team is trained, developed, and equipped to maintain a high level of quality care.
There are now three fully operational Charity Shops, Sunshine which is still situated in Maree Street in Bellville, Treasure Chest which was opened at Nobel Park Shopping Centre.