Pink Lady® apples together with Tru-Cape Marketing hosted their fifth annual Crafts for Cancer workshop on Saturday, 25 October 2014 at D’Aria function venue,  Durbanville.  Every year this event is held to raise funds for the Tygerberg Hospital’s Breast Clinic Transport Fund.  Approximately 30 women per month are diagnosed with breast cancer at this Breast Clinic and 70% of them have a very low income, if any at all.

Liza Matthews, Marketing Manager of  Pink Lady® apples said: “We chose to support this fund, because although treatment costs are covered by Government, some patients cannot afford  transport costs to and from the hospital for regular radiotherapy sessions that can save their lives.  This year we wanted to raise as much money as possible so we sponsored two cyclists riding  the Cape Epic and talented artist Solly Smook donated a painting to the fund with all proceeds from the sale of the painting going to the fund.  We are extremely grateful to all the wonderful people who used their talents and passion to help raise funds for the Tygerberg Hospital’s Breast Clinic Transport Fund.”

“Tru-Cape is proud to be associated with Pink Lady® apples and to co-sponsor such an inspiring event and to partner with Pink Lady® for the Cape Epic sponsorship. Our wish is to see more patients being able to live healthy, happy lives.” Added Aileen Zulch for Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing.

88 Beautiful ladies,  dressed in pink, joined Pink Lady® apples and Tru-Cape for a fun filled morning. They all explored their creative sides by creating masterpieces with air drying clay.  The workshop was presented by the incredibly creative and inspirational Lizel Cloete,owner of Create Studio and  Craft & DIY Editor for  Ideas magazine.  Lizel shared her passion for clay and being creative with the lovely ladies in support of  the fund.

After an enjoyable morning creating with their clay the ladies were treated to a delicious 3 course lunch and the beautiful sounds of the talented South African singer Sarah Theron.   Naturally each course on the menu was special, and incorporated Pink Lady® apples beautifully. All the ladies who attended received a goody bag packed with sponsored surprises. Several ladies each received lucky draw prizes sponsored by Pink Lady® apples and Apffelstaedt & Associates.

Our guest speaker, Graeme Comrie, kindly shared his story of him and his wife’s journey with breast cancer.  Graeme and Jenny had both been  diagnosed with breast cancer on the same day, and went through their treatments together.

“We were honored to have Professor Justus Apffelstaedt head of the Tygerberg Hospital’s Breast Clinic join us, as he does every year,  for lunch and to speak to us about breast cancer and interestingly about breast cancer in men.  We are also very grateful to Graeme for sharing his story” commented Liza Matthews.

Tickets were sold at R 280 each and all the proceeds were donated to the Transport Fund.  Through ticket sales, the Cape Epic sponsorship, the sale of Solly Smook’s beautiful painting, TopFruit’s surprise donation and other generous donations, an incredible R 120 000 was raised for the fund. This will help transport all the Breast Clinic patients to and from the hospital for approximately a year.

Prof. Justus Apffelstaedt said: “Many of our patients live on government grants with their families; these are only about R 1200 per month; transport to Tygerberg often costs R 150 for a single visit. The choice between having enough to eat for the family and transport for therapy is stark.”