06 August 07 - Health

Today we spoke to Pat Gelderbloem and Edna Mapela – from the St Luke’s Hospice. St Lukes Hospice provides palliative care to people who are approaching the end of their lives and 40% of their patients have AIDS. Their aim is to provide facilities and services within the Greater Cape Town area to respond to the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of individuals and their families having to deal with an illness which no longer responds to curative treatment and having a short life expectancy; and to demonstrate, teach and promote values, skills and knowledge to this end. St Lukes Hospice provides palliative care to people who are approaching the end of their lives and 40% of their patients have AIDS. For more information you can contact their office at (021) 371 0444 or visit their website at www.stlukes.co.za.

We also spoke to Dr Christo Benecke – a Gynaecologist and Obstetrician. We were talking about Menopause. Menopause is defined as absence of menstrual periods for 12 months. The menopausal transition starts with varying menstrual cycle length and ends with the final menstrual period. For more information you can contact the at (021) 423 4149 or visit www.samenopausesociety.co.za

Our last interview was an interview I had earlier with Professor Bongani Mayosi-Professor of medicine at Groote Schuur and UCT. We were talking about Rheumatic Fever as we know that this week is the Rheumatic Fever Week. Rheumatic fever affects children from as young as five years old and develops after the child has had repeated throat infections known as “strep throat”. Rheumatic fever affects children from as young as five years old and develops after the child has had repeated throat infections known as “strep throat”. People with rheumatic fever may develop heart inflammation, which reoccurs when they repeatedly get it. This leads to scarring and damaging of the heart valves. For more information you can contact your local clinic or day hospital.
PIC: www.sitemaker.umich.edu