UCT brings cheer to hospital patients

Flower power: Braving a light summer shower, Vice-Chancellor, Dr Max Price (centre), with, from left, Maureen Ross, acting head of nursing at Groote Schuur Hospital; Mareldia Patton, deputy manager of nursing; Dr Saadiq Kariem, CEO of Groote Schuur Hospital; and Alaric Jacobs, public relations officer at Groote Schuur.

In the spirit of the Christmas season, UCT dropped off bakkie-loads of colourful hydrangeas - also known as Christmas roses - at Groote Schuur Hospital on 23 December.

Vice-Chancellor, Dr Max Price, was at the hospital to present the flowers to Dr Saadiq Kariem, CEO of Groote Schuur. The flowers will be distributed among the wards to bring some Christmas cheer to those patients who will spend the holidays in a hospital bed, many far removed from family and friends.

"We are very grateful for the flowers, as we try to bring some festive cheer to our patients," said Kariem.

The annual hydrangea delivery - most likely initiated by nurses who make a point of decorating the wards over the festive season - is said to date back to 1938, the year the hospital opened. (Still as eager as ever, a few nurses were on hand to quickly whisk off armfuls of flowers to their wards.)

The flowers are collected and delivered by the UCT gardening service, The Green Perspective.