Good Morning Angels: Raised R2,7 million for heart operations for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital

BACKGROUND: More than 11-thousand children are born with heart defects in South Africa every year. Most of these children are born to families who cannot afford private health care and are reliant on state hospitals for care and treatment. On Mandela Day, Good Morning Angels on Breakfast with Martin Bester, went to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital with one mission: to raise enough money to finance 10 heart operations at this world-class facility. The NMCH gets referrals from State hospitals to do paediatric heart operations for children whose families cannot afford to pay for medical care. These operations cost on average R40 000,00 each. (The NMCH is semi-state funded, but needs to raise most of its own funding). 

At the end of the three- hour show – Good Morning Angels had raised enough money for 30 operations - that’s R1,2 million. But it did not end there ….

The Boikanya Bug

At the end of the Jacaranda FM Breakfast with Martin Bester Mandela Day Broadcast from the hospital, the Boikanyo Bug - a 1970’s VW Beetle - departed on a 14 500 km journey through Africa – to rise more funds for the heart operations at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital. The journey ended in Romania, at the International Round Table Conference in Dracula’s Castle in Transylvania on 24 August 2019. 

The two drivers,  Leigh Michael and Alex Staniland are back, with more good news for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital. The Boikanyo Bug did not come back to South Africa, but continued its journey to Norway - with its new owner. Selling the bug was part of the fundraising.

A cheque of R2,7 million = 67 heart operations was handed over to Prof Hopewell Ntsinjana on behalf of the Round Table Boikanyo Bug Drivers (R1,2 million) and Good Morning Angels – representing all the Jacaranda FM listeners (R 900 000,00).