Port of call with Riva Schoeman and the Centurion Hospice

It is almost two years since the Covid-19 virus was first identified in Wuhan in China. Middle September 4.55 million deaths were record and 219 million people contracted the virus.

Although most people with COVID-19 get better within weeks of illness, some people experience post-COVID conditions. Post-COVID conditions are a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems people can experience four or more weeks after first being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Even people who did not have COVID-19 symptoms in the days or weeks after they were infected can have post-COVID conditions. These conditions can present as different types and combinations of health problems for different lengths of time. Experts coined this Covid long hauler. These post-Covid conditions can stay with you for the rest of your life.

Our telephonic guest is Tersia Burger, the CEO of Steppingstone Hospice in Johannesburg. Tersia was among the first people who contracted the virus in South Africa. After almost 400 days, she still suffers from the after-effects, and she might life with it for the rest of her life. Our in-studio guest is Philip Aucamp, social worker at Centurion Hospice. Welcome Tersia and thank you for sharing your Covid-19 story.

Seks, seksualiteit en intimiteit is net so belangrik vir mense wat met kanker gediagnoseer is as vir diegene wat nie kanker het nie. Trouens, navorsing het bewys dat seks ’n groot rol kan speel om mense te help om hulle kankerdiagnose in die gesig te staar – intimiteit kan hulle ook help om te ontspan terwyl hulle kankerbehandeling ondergaan. Maar die realiteit is dat ’n persoon se seksorgane, seksuele drange, en liggaamsbeeld so beïnvloed kan word dat die lus vir bedplesiere net nie meer daar is nie. Ons bespreek vandag ’n baie sensitiewe onderwerp, waaroor mense nie graag wil praat nie. Maar dit is iets waaroor ons moet praat – hoe ‘n kankerdiagnose jou seksuele gesondheid beïnvloed het. By ons in die ateljee is Suzaan Lourens, ’n berader en seksuoloog en ook Centurion Hospcie se eie Philip Aucamp – hy is nie vandag hier as maatskaplike werker nie, maar as ’n man wat ‘n pad met kolonkanker geloop het, en hoe dit ook sy huwelik en seksuele drange beïnvloed het. Welkom julle en baie dankie dat julle bereid is om met ons te gesels.

Daar word oor die algemeen geglo dat georganiseerde ondersteuningsgroepe ’n moderne verskynsels is, maar eintlik kan die eerste ondersteuningsgroep teruggevoer word na die laat agtiende eeu. ’n Psigiater by ’n psigiatriese hospitaal in Frankryk het begin om voormalige pasiënte as personeel aan te stel wat hulle ervaring met pasiënte kon deel. Dit het vining duidelik geword dat die gemene deler die pasiënte se stories was. Deur hulle stories met ander te deel het daar aanvaarding asook ’n mate van berusting te kom. Die motto was dat “almal dieselfde pyn en afwykings deel; ons reageer net almal op ’n verskillende manier.

Dié tipe ondersteuningsgroepe het in die sewentigerjare begin uitbrei en het meer ontvattend geraak; dit het nie net psigiatriese pasiënte ingesluit nie, maar ook ander morele en sosiale probleme soos verslawing en verlies ingesluit.

Vandag word ondersteuningsgroepe in bykans alle gesondheidsektore voortgestaan. En gesondheidswerkers beskou dié groepe as ’n effektiewe manier om na die gemeenskap uit te reik, om kwaliteit te verbeter en om gesondheidsongelykhede te verminder. Die belangrikste is egter dat mense ondersteuningsgroepe nodig het.

Centurion Hospice het een van die sterkste en grootste ondersteuningsgroepe in Centurion en reik nie net na mense uit wat met lewensbedreigende siektes gediagnoseer is nie, maar ook na dié wat met die pyn en verlies van ’n geliefde so dood moet saamleef.

By ons in die ateljee is Annette Reed, die hoofuitvoerendebeampte van Centurion Hospice en Philip Aucamp, maatskaplike werker van dié hospice

Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer globally and locally, and is showing significant increases. Research indicates that South African men have a 1:17 risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Men are usually humiliated when prostate cancer (a taboo topic) is discussed. Women, on the other hand, will dig deeply into the causes and effects of breast and cervical cancer.

The reasons for the latter might be that men refuse to think about it, resulting in not knowing about the disease; and not being examined by a doctor. This is of course, very dangerous and could be fatal.

There are several awareness campaigns abroad and locally every year  to inspiredmen who have been treated for  prostate cancer,  discuss the side effects, including  the loss of libido and erectile dysfunction, and how it affected their lives.

Interesting enough black men  are more prone to prostate cancer than white men.

We have two very special guests in studio who will enlighten as about his topic and grab the bull by its horns so to speak.

Andrew Oberholser is the CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa and our in-studio guest is Osie van der Merwe, who was, luckily, diagnosed early with prostate cancer, and survived to share his tale.

Laetitia Swanepoel had it all; a wonderful husband, three adorable kids, and a beautiful family home. She was a successful businesswoman before tragedy struck in 2016; her two year old son Gustaf drowned in a swimming pool while he was supposed to be sleeping. A year later she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Another year later their home burnt down – and the family was left with nothing. They moved into their garage where they stayed for a couple of months.

Laetitia, however, became an ambassador for Centurion Hospice, and a motivational speaker. But earlier this year she was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, which was slowly eating its way into her lower vertebrae, pelvis, hip joint, femur and brain. She has undergone intensive radiation therapy, but she is still trying to make a difference in people’s lives by sharing her cancer journey with thousands of people on her Facebook Page. Cancer has messed with the wrong girl! We are very blessed to welcome Laetitia as a guest on this podcast.

Aasvoëls, addergebroedsels. Dit is die name wat dikwels gebruik word om na die media of joernaliste te verwys. “Die aasvoëls, sak op ons toe,” het Amor Vittone briesend gebibber na haar bekende man Joost van der Westhuizen se dood. Selfs mense wat nie sterstatus het nie, het al gekla dat hulle deur die media verpes word na die afsterwe van ‘n geliefde. En as die geraamtes uit die kaste begin tuimel word daar nog harder met die media geraas. Wat is die media se rol by tye van ‘n bekende of ‘n gewone Jan Rap se  dood? Het ‘n gestorwene enigsins privaatheid? Hoe raak Wet 61 van die Wet op Nasionale Gesondheid pasiënte? Mag die media jou mediese rekords aan die wêreld uitbasuin?  En hoe raak die POPI-wetgewing die media se werk? By ons in die ateljee is AJ Opperman, bekende kuns- en kultuurjoernalis van Netwerk 24, en Helene Viljoen, die interne regsadviseur van die Caxton-groep. Welkom julle en dankie dat julle deel is van dié interessante potgooi.

Die land het getreur toe die Afrikaanse sanger Zak van Niekerk (wat toe maar net 33 jaar oud was) op 30 Maart 2012 in ‘n gru-motorongeluk naby Vanderbiljpark dood is. Hy het sy vrou, Sonja van Niekerk, en twee seuntjies Jano. twee. en Zian wat toe net 2 en ‘n half maande oud was agtergelaat. Ja, Zak het op ons CD-spelers, in ons motors en selfs op partytjies voortgeleef, maar sy ondersteuners het selfs verder gegaan en hom in die digitale ruimte laat voortleef. Zak is op ‘n manier ontsterflik geword. Sy Facebook-blad het nie die herdenkingsfunksie gehad nie, en sy ondersteuners, vrou en familie is op ‘n daaglikse basis oorval met Facebook-inskrywings en onthou-jy’s. Vroeër vanjaar het ‘n vriend van Zak ook ‘n Legende-blad gestig wat nou amper 5 000 volgelinge het. Die profiel-foto op die blad, is ‘n foto van sy troudag. Zak is dáár. Steeds daar. In die kuberruimte.

Sonja het ‘n paar jaar na Zak se dood weer getroud, maar is dit gesond vir haar huwelik, vir haar kinders om Zak so ontsterflik te maak? Hoekom kan ons nie maar net die gestorwenes met rus laat en hulle in ons harte laat voortleef nie? Hoe het sosialemediawebwerwe die manier waarop ons rou verander?

By ons in die ateljee is Suzaan Lourens, ‘n berader van Pretoria wat veral in vituele rou belangstel en ons telefoniese gas is Sonja Terblache, Zak se weduwee.

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Otto Meyer het meer as twintig jaar gewag om met sy destydse skoolliefde te trou en die keer sou nie eers kanker of finansies hom keer om met Larami te trou nie. En net om seker te maak het Centurion Hospice binne nege dae ‘n droomtroue gereël. Die twee is op 1 Mei, Werkersdag getroud, Larami het ‘n blonde pruik gedra, want tydens die chemoterapie het sy haar lifelike lokke verloor. Daar was laventel, ‘n rooitapyt en ‘n driegangmaaltyd.

Larami lei aan ‘n tipe kanker – clear cell karsinoom wat net 2 % mense wêreldwyd tref en as sy nie vir behandeling gaan nie, kan sy moontlik sterf. Otto weet dit, maar hy wil haar gelukkig maak- tot op die heel einde. In die potgooi gesels ons met Larami en Otto. 

#cancer #love 

Ons het almal ‘n sosialemediarekeninge – of dit nou Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google plus, Tik-Tok of Whatsapp is. Ons lewensgeskiedenis, hoogte- en laagtepunte is met ‘n klik-klik van die muis aan Jan Rap en sy maat beskikbaar. Ons inligting is nie so privaat soos ons dink nie. Nou ja, wat gebeur met jou sosialemediarekeninge as jy die dag tot sterwe kom? Indien jy nie voor jou afsterwe in jou testament jou wagwoorde en profiele neergepen het nie, gaan jou sosialemedia profiele vir ewig in die digitale ruimte rondsweef. Wetgewing maak dit baie moeilik vir jou familie en geliefdes om toegang tot jou profiele te kry. En wat as jy ‘n onnatuurlike dood sterf en die polsiie moet jou dood ondersoek? Hoe gaan die polisie te werk en wat behels die prosesse

How far will you go to get your hands on money – blood money?  Would you kill to inherent that R80 million? OR will you take your siblings, stepfamily or family to court to dispute an estate or testament.

People fight about money after their loved one dies. This is a universal truth. Amor van der Westhuizen wanted to dispute her late husband’s trust fund. Well, she did not get very far, because a court case can be quite costly. At the end she only inherited a television set.

In a very recent case, a family took their stepmother to court as they believed that her husband’s,, millions do not belong to her, as she was only married to him for six months. They accused her of being a fraudster....

But it is not only the rich who fight about possessions and testaments – sisters do not talk to each other because of something as simple as a fridge. Sometimes fights over petty things like a vase, or an antique or jewellery can lead to culpable homicide.

Why can’t we let our beloved die in peace? Why do we become fraudsters, fake a signature on a testament? Why does (family) money makes the world go around?

Maybe our expert quests have the answers to these questions. In studio today we have Louis Pretorius, the general manager of the Sonja Smith Funeral Group and a lawyer, and our telephonic guest is the famed specialists investigator Mike Bolhuis – who knows everything about testament “gangsters” and estate frauds.

Who are we? Why are we here? Where are we going after death? Theologists, priests, scientists and philosophers have endeavoured to answer these age-old questions but find no definite answers. The biggest question however: is there life after death? Christians believe that our earthly bodies return to dust, but our eternal soul either go to heaven or hell. Paradise or everlasting flames. What lies between death and judgement day? Ancient Hindu scriptures refer to the atman (soul) being reborn many times, a belief that is embraced by many metaphysical scientists and even some Christians – past life regression. Dr. Michael Newton, a well-known hypnotherapist and psychologists believe that our souls go to purgatory where the soul is cleansed. Those souls who have been associated with evil are taken to special centres which some people call  intensive care units. The energy is altered to make it whole again. Depending upon the nature of their transgressions, these souls could quickly returned to earth. They might well choose to serve as the victims of other’s evil acts in the next life.

Some people just believe that our bodies will return to dust and that there is no eternity.

We have three very special quests in studio today. Reverend Francois Esterhuizen is from the NG Church Raslouw in Wierda Park and he dig deeply into the heart of the eternity, paradise and the land of the lost souls. Izak du Plessis used to be a reverend turned journalist, writer, TV-presenter, YouTube-news analyst, and philosopher. He is not an atheist – just a non-believer and then our telephonic quest is dr, Raj Kopalana, a priest at .......... and medical doctor. Welcome and maybe we will find a few answers today.

Funerals have become a significant event in South African's lives. When President Cyril Ramaphosa announced earlier this month that no more than 50 people are allowed to attend a funeral service (and with no after-tears parties to be allowed),  religious and other pressure groups were up in arms. Yes, funerals are events – big events and can cost families thousands to host. The more people to mourn the dead at a funeral service, the more glorious for the departed soul.

South Africa has different cultures, and every culture perceives death and funerals differently. Previously (that was before Covid-19) and way before funeral trends from America hit South Africa, the Afrikaans speaking population has mourn in a very sombre manner. Firstly, a church service with a reverend preaching as if it was a Sunday morning sermon, then songs from either the Psalms or Hymns. Coffin carriers. Then to the grave and then with the after-party enjoying cucumber and egg sandwiches in the church hall.

That was then. Now funerals or memorial services are like weddings – and the more unique, the better.  Two prominent Pretorians that we know of, died around two years ago and their funerals cost thousands. The families hired event organisers, and more than 1000 people attended both events. Funerals singers, champagne, speeches, sushi and a funeral cake (even dancers) were on the menus.

The African culture has long established the culture of the after-tears party. Parties that sometimes cost up to R200 000 or more.

Today, our telephonic guests are Louise Nel, listen to this, an esteemed funeral organiser from Bloemfontein and Ingrid Tebeila, a traditional healer. They are going to enlighten us about myths surrounding funerals, rites and of course, more alternative funerals. And then, our in-studio guest is Melanie Robbins from Centurion Hospice who will tell us about Centurion Hospice's new (memorial service) endeavours. Welcome.

The ancient Greeks believed that Hermes, the messenger of the gods r, was a spirit guide. His role was to escort souls into the afterlife. But it was not just the Greeks who believed that a being - whether it was the archangel Michael, a goddess or a deceased family member – had to assist them while making the transition from living to dying, modern human beings don't want to die alone. Therefore, terminally ill patients often recruit a death doula to guide them spiritually or prepare them for what they do not understand – the world beyond.

Mothers, who have had a miscarriage or a stillbirth, will enlist the services of a bereavement doula. The word Doula is derived from Greek  and means "women who serve." In the studio today, we have two extraordinary women. Nicci Coertze is a well-known bereavement doula and Vivienne Katz, a death doula who assists people in making the transition from their physical body into the next realm. She is also from Doula Givers South Africa.

Welcome, Nicci and Vivienne and thank you for educating us about the role of doulas in South Africa.

In the last episode, dr. Petrus Moolman helped us to understand the ageing process and how to live a meaningful life until the end. But that aside, he is an ordinary man with an extraordinary love story. His wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2007.  She died six years later. He was her caregiver, a role that does not come naturally for a man. After her death, he made it his life mission to understand Alzheimer’s and dementia. Welcome again, dr. Moolman and as usually our guest Philip Aucamp, a social worker at Centurion Hospice.

Dr. Petrus Moolman is a well-known author, theologists and gerontologist. He believes in meaningful ageing, and for that reason, he pursued a doctoral degree at the age of 72 and graduated at the age of 76. He is almost 80 years old and still lives a meaningful life. He mastered the cello; he always attends to the spiritual and emotional needs of the elderly. And last year he wrote a highly recommended book Meaning full ageing – a book that resulted from his doctoral studies.

The day-to-day running of a Hospice.

It requires an incredibly special person to work at a hospice. Hospice’s are often misnomer as a “place that kills you” but that is not what a hospice is. A hospice is in fact, a place where you can live your last days with dignity and humanity. Patients who are admitted to either the home-based care programme or the IPU are often close to the end of their lives.

The day-to-day running of a hospice is shrouded in mystery for many, and therefore there are many misconceptions. That is why, today I will be talking to experts in this field, in order to give us some clarity on what exactly it is that hospice offers a patient and their family in a time in which they really need support.

Die bekende Afrikaanse krimi-skrywer Madelein Rust is op 20 Januarie vanjaar met beenkanker gediagnoseer - dit nadat sy vier jaar gelede "skoon" verklaar is. "Ek het gedog ek is klaar met kanker," het die brawe vrou aan Riva Schoeman gesê.  Luister na die harthoerende dog postitiewe onderhoud. Dit is 'n vrou - al het die dokter haar net 'n paar maande gegee het het om te leef - wat steeds sê "kanker schmanker." 

Riva Shoeman says: “The interview I had with the Prinsloo family not only pulled at my heartstrings, it taught me valuable lessons.  I have the utmost respect for the staff at Centurion Hospice, may we all learn from them, mostly, what it means to be truly caring and to have real compassion. It is an enormous privilege to be a part of this amazing project. I look forward with great anticipation to the next interviews. You will not regret tuning in for these podcasts. Raw emotion, the honest truth and, as I mentioned, valuable lessons are just some of the things you can expect. Do not miss a single podcast. Thank you, Centurion Hospice. “

Die Centurion Hospice, in samewerking met NB-Uitgewers, het weer aanlyn kragte saamgesnoer om ouers en tieners bewus te maak van nuwe Afrikaanse jeugverhale en volwasse romans wat die jaar op die winkelrakke verskyn het.

Die Centurion Hospice het in Junie vanjaar hande met NB-Uigewers gevat en unieke aanlynleer- en leeservarings vir kinders gebied. Bekende sangers soos ander andere Jak de Priester en Riaan Grobler het voorlesings uit onder meer Liewe Heksie en Pippie Langkous gedoen.

Dit was die eerste keer dat ‘n Hospice in Suid-Afrika so ‘n tipe aanlynleeservaring aangebied het.

Die formaat van die aanlynleeservarings het ‘n bietjie verander, maar dit gaan dieselfde opvoedkundige- en vermaaklikheidswaarde as die vorige boekvoorlesings hê, sê Yolanda Barnard-Lemmer, die skakelbeampte van die Centurion Hospice.

Barnard-Lemmer voer onderhoudende en vermaaklike onderhoude met die skrywers en ‘n bekende persoonlikheid (hetsy dit ‘n hoërskool se hoofdogter is of ‘n sanger) gaan die boekvoorlesings waarneem.

William Oosthuizen, die skrywer van die jeugverhaal Die wêreld volgens Wim Vermaak, het eerste onder die loep gekom. “Dit was baie interessant om terugvoer op die boek te kry en ek hoop mense geniet die boek soveel as wat hy dit geniet het om dit te skryf.”

Die bekende radiopersoonlikheid, Riva Schoeman, het die boekvoorlesing behartig. “Dit is ‘n heerlike storie en skreeusnaaks. Ek het dit baie geniet om deel te wees van die ervaring,” sê sy.

“Tydens die inperking het mense opnuut besef om te lees is lewe en NB-Uitgewers deel graag hul skrywers se stories om lewens te verryk,” sê Henk Viljoen, streekverkoopbestuurder van NB-skole.

Volgens Barnard-Lemmer is daar ‘n tweeledige doel met die skrywersonderhoude en -voorlesings: “Ons wil eerstens die publiek (veral die jeug) bekendstel aan al die wonderlike nuwe titels wat op die rakke verskyn, en ook om hulle aan te moedig om die Centurion Hospice te ondersteun, en uit te reik na ons pasiënte deur middel van boekvoorlesings, besoeke en so meer.”

Die eerste onderhoud en voorlesing word die komende Maandag op die Centurion Hospice se Facebook-blad geplaas. Ons gaan deur die loop van die volgende paar maande verskillende boeke (jeug- en volwasse romans) bespreek en onderhoude met die skrywers voer. Dit gaan om die beurt in Engels en Afrikaans verskyn.