David and Angelique Fink lost their son Noah shortly after Christmas last year; David had dressed up as Santa that year to spread joy and now he is committed to doing it every year in honour of Noah’s life.
Sunninghill, South Africa (05 December 2023) – Last December, the Fink family spent their Christmas in the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Sunninghill Hospital. David and Angelique Lisa Fink had welcomed their third child, a baby boy named Noah, into the world in late November, but his ill health meant an extended stay in the hospital. David, wanting to add some festive cheer to the ward, gifted each parent and hospital staff member chocolates. Despite the pain being felt by many families on that day, the act of receiving a small gift brought smiles to every single face David saw.
This year, David and Angelique have been blessed with the news that they can start the “Sunninghill Santa” initiative in memory of their son Noah who passed away. They plan to visit the hospital they spent so many of their hours in while supporting Noah, to give other babies and parents a reason to smile.
“The smile it brought to the children and the parents who face these long and emotionally tormenting journeys beside their children was indescribable” – Angelique Lisa Fink
“Nothing can put perspective on what babies, children and their parents go through in these facilities – you have to live it to truly know. There are numerous children, including our son, who passed shortly after Christmas and it warms our hearts to think that something so small had such a big impact on their lives… their last Christmas was filled with a personal pop in by Santa and his gentle smile, one carrying empathy after personally being previewed to what they have had to face.”
Angelique shared that David wanted to continue the legacy he started after a nurse confided that it was the first time Santa had visited the children in Sunninghill Hospital.
“In honour of our precious boy and all those babies that have gone before and after him, we will stay true to our promise and every year on Christmas we will visit the wards of Sunninghill Hospital, the only home he knew and as a family, gift children fighting for their lives a present from Father Christmas.”
The Fink family are now in full swing to have small gifts ready for the children of Sunninghill Hospital. They are collecting small soft toys to hand out to each child.
“I think it’s important to note that often patient’s are referred to this hospital for critical and complicated thoracic surgeries. They have no family around them, no support and limited to 3 short 40 minute visits with their suffering child a day. The cost implications of these medical needs are exorbitant.
If you would like to donate a plush toy we would be privileged to hand it to a child in need of emotional upliftment. We will take care sanitizing and wrapping it in a sterile environment.”
If you would like to get involved, the family are accepting soft toy donations. You can find all the details on Angelique’s Facebook post here.
“Thank you in advance for partnering with us – this is a cause very close to our hearts and one which we truly believe will make such a difference to the morale of the security staff, doctors, nurses, parents and… especially the children.”
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