A children’s hospital in Cape Town got the best kind of surprise this week. Batman walked in.
Cape Town, South Africa (19 November 2025) – Not a cardboard cut-out or a puppet. A real-life Batman from Visions of Joy (VOJ), the long-running non-profit that works with vulnerable and orphaned children across South Africa.
They’ve been doing this work since 2006, showing up for communities with everything from basic-needs support to youth programmes. And on this particular day, they arrived with a superhero. Cape and all.
The visit was organised together with the Children’s Hospital Trust, the NPO that supports paediatric healthcare across the Western Cape. They raise funds to improve hospitals, equipment, specialist training and child public-health projects.
The video shows Batman strolling into rooms where children are hooked up to machines, recovering from surgeries and undergoing treatment. Some wave shyly. Others reach out without hesitation. Little faces light up the second they realise Batman is there just for them.
“A massive thank you to Visions Of Joy for making this magical visit possible, bringing smiles, laughter, and special gifts to the real superheroes in the wards!” shared the trust.
VOJ’s volunteers have been doing this for a while now. In April earlier this year, Batman was spotted at another children’s hospital spreading joy and spoils for Easter.
Initiatives like this one remind children facing difficult circumstances that they matter.
“Moments like these light up their world and remind us all of the power of joy,” the trust shared.
To kids, happiness looks a lot like your favourite hero walking into your ward, kneeling beside your bed, and giving you a reason to smile in a place where days can feel long and heavy.
Sources: Linked above
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