The smile on this young lady’s face is priceless. As she fights a courageous battle with Rheumatic Heart Disease, Athule sees her wildest dreams come true.
South Africa (16 September 2026) – Reach For A Dream has made over 30,000 dreams come true for children living with life-threatening illnesses since the late eighties.
Athule, a 16-year-old young lady from Mthatha, recently had her wildest dreams come true.
Athule lives with Rheumatic Heart Disease. Battling illness has never dulled her passion for learning. A history buff at heart, her greatest dream has always been to have the tools that would enable her to discover more about the many rich stories of the past.
“A naturally curious girl, her favourite subject in school is History. Red is her favourite colour because it reminds her of the rich South African history.” shares Reach For A Dream, who recently hosted Athule at Spur for her ultimate Dream Day.
To make these Dream Days happen, the team spends time getting to know their young recipients and finds out what they dream about. They then create an experience around that wish. This brings children facing immense battles a moment to experience joy, and it restores hope by giving them something exciting to look forward to amid all the hospital visits and treatment they must face.
“Athule dreamed of owning a laptop, a gateway to learning more than she already knows about the country she loves so much. Her Dream Day was a relaxed lunch with her mom at Spur, where they spent the afternoon chatting, sharing jokes and laughing with each other.” the organisation shares.
And then came the moment dreams are made of!
“Her dream was revealed after lunch orders were taken. Beautifully wrapped boxes were handed to her, which she opened with excitement buzzing through her body. Seeing her brand-new laptop sent Athule to the end of the rainbow, her smile as big as her heart. The moment her dream came true is one she will forever cherish.”
Reach For A Dream says it has fulfilled more than 30,000 dreams since it was founded in 1988, and is currently fulfilling around seven dreams every day across South Africa.
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