Community Rallies to Support Girl with Lupus & Her Family

A family on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast of South Africa has been overwhelmed by the care and concern shown to them by their community.

Last year – in June 2014 – Anisha Singh, a bright pupil, was halfway through Grade 6 at Naidoo Memorial Primary School when she was diagnosed with Lupus, an auto-immune disease.

Since then she has spent six months in hospital, due to the severity of her symptoms, and is now at home but has been unable to attend school because she can’t walk and her eyesight has been severely affected.

It has naturally been extremely difficult for the family who live in a township just outside Craigieburn…but the community on the South Coast are now rallying together to help them.

It started on Thursday when Beverly Ivins posted a message to a Scottburgh, Pennington and Umkomaas community page on Facebook saying “Guys let’s pull together as a community please. This family needs help.”

Beverly revealed that Anisha’s parents are caring for her 24/7 and are not employed mainly because of Anisha needing to visit various state hospitals regularly.

“The family are in intense need as a result,” wrote Beverly.  She then listed the family’s most pressing needs which included a double bed mattress, single bed and mattress, wardrobe and adult nappies “as Anisha is now incontinent”.

Beverly added that “we are helping her to embark on a healthy eating plan to try and restore her health. Any help with items like tins of tuna in oil, sardines, pilchards, chicken or fruit would help tremendously.

“Let’s show this little girl what we can achieve when we pull together, that she is not alone in this terrible illness. Thanks so much.”

Since posting her message, the community has more than shown Beverly what can be achieved! She has been inundated with generous offers for the family and a bank account was opened after several requests to donate.

Yesterday Beverly posted an update saying: “Just saw the parents now and they are beyond blessed at the response.”