The story behind
Creating hope, leaving footprints
Our History
2017 - The First Footprint
Dr Peter Kraus, one of our Clinical and Radiation Oncologists, is inspired by one of his patients living with Stage IV cancer: Wayne Holtzhausen (01/09/1975 – 21/11/2017). Wayne was a very talented photographer. Dr Kraus suggested that we find a way to combine art, a journey with cancer and a message of hope. Wayne embraced this idea and throughout a very difficult time in his own life, supported our quest by connecting us with various resources and sharing his own skills. Wayne’s legacy lives on in his photography on the walls of our radiotherapy treatment area.
Under the leadership of Engela van der Merwe, our Oncology Social Worker, our project started to take form. We were blessed with 12 exhibitors whose various forms of art graced the corridors of our practice during the month of September. A week of arts and crafts workshops, mostly hosted by survivors themselves, were attended by patients, loved ones, caregivers and our staff members. Many stories were shared, and our boardroom filled with roaring laughter on more than one occasion!
Up with Downs, a school in George that provides spesialised education for children with special needs, was identified to be the Creating Hope, Leaving Footprints’ Cause of Choice. A week long coffee shop was hosted in the practice by the adult learners and all funds raised by this initiative, as well as the arts and crafts workshops, were donated to Up with Downs. It was a privilege to watch these children interact with our patients and families, doctors and staff. They taught us that it is not about how we think others see us, but it is about how we see ourselves.
(Left to right) – Wayne Holtzhausen (01/09/1975 – 21/11/2017) and Dr Peter Kraus.
2018 – The Second Footprint
Our project’s signature found its way to us! We received the blessing of two of our young mothers and their partners, to use their respective daughters’ footprints to represent Creating Hope, Leaving Footprints. Little Mila and Ava’s mommies were diagnosed with cancer while they were pregnant, and we were privileged to share in their journeys when their two beautiful and healthy miracles were born.
Our exhibitors’ base grew to 22. This included scholars from our local schools in George to tell their stories about grandparents, parents, siblings and friends affected by a cancer diagnosis.
(Left to right) – Ava and Mila
2019 – The Third Footprint
We launched our Paying it Forward initiative in this year, as we were humbled by the contributions of 30 exhibitors. We called it our “reverse goody bags”. Each visitor to our practice in the month of September received a goody bag with a twist – the recipient had the choice to fill this goody bag with items to support one of three causes: The Zeake Swart Paying it Forward initiative, The Shoe Box Project or the Garden Route SPCA. Many footprints were left.
2020 – The Fourth Footprint
This year, our celebration of survivorship, life and legacy had to take on a different form due to the impact of the global COVID 19 pandemic. We and our 35 exhibitors went virtual! We continue to make the stories of hope and the art exhibition available to others, through this page. You will also see our Tree of Hope, that we painted on our walls this year to create another opportunity for survivors to leave their print.
2021 and beyond
Next year will be the 5th year of the Creating Hope, Leaving Footprints legacy project. In 2022, we aspire to publish a coffee table book that will look back upon all the footprints created since 2017. After that? It will come to us.