Aunty Cindy will be cooking her last Christmas meal at St Joseph’s Intermediate Paediatric Care this December before retiring; she has served a lifetime of meals, made with love, for children in need of healing.
South Africa (09 December 2024) – Every year, the kitchen at St Joseph’s Intermediate Paediatric Care is filled with the smells of delicious Christmas food to usher in the festive season. Despite operating on a limited budget, the kitchen staff, lovingly led by Aunty Cindy, try to make Christmas as happy as possible for the young patients with chronic and life-limiting conditions who cannot spend the day at home with their families.
Kitchen manager Elizabeth van Neel, fondly known as Aunty Cindy, has been a stalwart in the St Joseph’s kitchen since 1980, making it feel like a home away from home during the Christmas season and other special occasions.
Cindy has worked at St Joseph’s since she was 21 years old – but this Christmas Day will be the last time time that her touch of love will be present, as she will retire on 30 December this year.
Cindy has always tried to put a smile on the patients’ faces with her food, especially during holiday periods when it can be especially difficult for children to be away from home.
“Holidays like Christmas and Easter are a very special period for the kids, and it’s important to me to make these occasions feel special for the children. When we get donations, I try to get the children treats like sweets, chocolates, or chips. It always brings them so much joy, and it makes me happy to see their faces light up,” she says.
Cindy’s dedication to providing nourishing food for St Joseph’s young patients isn’t just focused on special days. Instead, she likes to make every meal as nourishing and as close to being ‘home-cooked’ as possible.
“Unlike other hospitals, our children stay here for up to six months and sometimes longer depending on the acuity of their illness, so it is like a home for them. Over the years, we have learnt what they like to eat. For example, we know they don’t really like vegetables, so we try to put them in stews with meat to get them to eat them.”
A standout meal is Aunty Cindy’s signature fish and chips (without vegetables) every Friday, rooted in St Joseph’s Catholic foundations. The Friday fish and chips is a team effort, as the kitchen staff start preparations on a Thursday by peeling the potatoes and battering the fish so that everything is ready for lunchtime the next day. Despite the convenience of ready-made chips, Cindy insists on peeling hundreds of potatoes and making the fries from scratch. Serving the children wholesome fresh food is important to her.
Her retirement signals the end of an era at St Joseph’s.
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“For the past 44 years, having the kitchen managed by the Aunty Cindy has been an incredible blessing to everyone at St Joseph’s,” shares her manager, Cheryl Campbell. “The thousands of hearty meals she prepared with her dedicated team will always hold a special place in the memories of our young patients. Their favourites — fish and chips on Fridays and the classic Sunday lunch of roast chicken, potatoes, and vegetables — brought comfort and joy to so many. Cindy leaves behind big shoes to fill, but we are thrilled that she will now have the opportunity to enjoy her well-deserved retirement in her golden years.”
After spending her entire career at St Joseph’s, Cindy has a lot to look back on.
“When I retire, I will miss the kids more than anything else. The nuns that were at St Joseph’s when I arrived have either died or gone back to Germany with just one of them, now at 92 still at the convent in Pinelands. I also see myself in many ways as a grandmother to the children we care for, so I will miss them the most.”
By supporting their Christmas Wish Campaign this festive season, you can help ensure that St Joseph’s young patients get the Christmas meals they deserve.
For as little as R100 (the cost of wrapping paper and festive cards), you could ensure a child receives healthy, delicious meals for an entire week.
Those wanting to make even more of a meaningful difference can choose any of the below options as part of St Joseph’s Christmas Wish Campaign:
- WISH 1 – R100: Provide nutritious meals for a week for a child.
- WISH 2 – R300: Fund physiotherapy sessions to improve a child’s mobility.
- WISH 3 – R500: Supply essential medical supplies for a month.
- WISH 4 – R1000: Cover a full week of holistic care, including medical, emotional, and therapeutic support.
Donate now and help Make a Child’s Christmas Wish Come True: https://stjosephsipc.org.za/make-a-childs-christmas-wish-come-true/
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