From helicopter rides and superhero meet-and-greet wishes to inspiring a young recipient to grow up and lead a major hospital, Reach For A Dream has spent nearly four decades proving that a single moment of joy can forever change the trajectory of a brave child’s life!
South Africa (08 July 2026) – Giving a little girl her dream bedroom, a boy flying in a helicopter, an enthusiastic lad meeting his favourite superhero and an incredibly brave warrior enjoying a carefree day just as any nine-year-old should. These are just some of the thousands of dreams that Reach For A Dream (RFAD) has made come true for children facing profound health challenges with the bravest of hearts.
Founded in 1988, RFAD has dedicated itself to bringing joy to children fighting life-threatening illnesses. Since its inception, the charity has made over 30,000 dreams come true, ranging from meeting personal heroes to gifting children something they have always longed for.
Celebrating its 38th birthday at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, the foundation hosted a party to mark its special legacy of bringing joy to children and their families during their medical journeys.
Hospital CEO, Dr Nkuli Boikhutso, shared a deeply personal connection to the milestone, revealing that back in 1997, she herself was a Reach For A Dream recipient.
“I was more than a cancer patient; they gave me a new perspective on life. My dream came true, gave me hope, and today, I’m the CEO of a children’s hospital,” Boikhutso shared.
She further congratulated RFAD on fulfilling so many children’s dreams and thanked them for choosing to celebrate its 38th birthday with the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital.
Reach For A Dream’s CEO, Julia Sotirianakos, acknowledged that, in their almost four-decade-old journey, none of what has been achieved would have been possible without the love and support of all the hospitals, staff, and volunteers across the country.
“We do this because of our beautiful children and every day, we are reminded of our purpose,” Sotirianakos added.
Attendees enjoyed magic tricks from Laughter Heroes, Uncle Black Jack, Themba Mathabela and Siya Makhubu. Everyone joined the cake-cutting ceremony in song and face painting. A specially curated doughnut decorating activity and lunch drew the birthday festivities to a close.
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Cape Town Kayakers Rescue Starving African Penguin Far Out to SeaEvery day, Reach For A Dream fulfils seven dreams across the country. Help make more dreams come true by donating to the organisation. Visit www.reachforadream.org.za for more information.
Sources: Supplied
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