To all staff and doctors,

I want to thank all of you in the ward for your love, care, and treatment. Your passion for patients’ health is appreciated every day, and your compassion, optimism and kindness do not go unnoticed.

During my stay there, I noticed how you care for patients. The respect and care helped me stay strong, and I didn’t feel that I was in the hospital.

Each time my doctor told me about possible admission, I would come up with different excuses. However, after the service I received here, I will be more willing to be admitted in the future.

Thank you for being there during my worst times when I was sick and hurting. May God bless you and keep all of you strong.

I would like to thank you excellent nurses and staff at Tyger Valley Clinic. It is evident in the professional and wealth of knowledge that they are highly equipped. They made my stay at the clinic easier, their support, kindness and patience are a testimony to the principles of restoration and health. I, thank you very much. Keep doing what you’re doing.

Dear Helderberg Clinic

At this point, I feel a part of the furniture, and I love it. I absolutely love how caring and considerate the staff are.

Lee-an and Renata, thank you for teaching me to have healthy boundaries. Thank you for allowing me to realise that not all people in my life are healthy for me and that certain things drain me. Thank you for helping me to understand myself a bit better.

Petra, thank you for introducing me to music therapy, combining two of my passions into therapy. I have applied this technique to my daily life, falling in love with all genres of music and expressing myself through art, whether it be words, pictures, or scribbles.

To all the staff, thank you for listening to my concerns and needs and ALWAYS trying your best to meet them. I truly am so grateful for the opportunity to come to this amazing facility.

Thank you for helping me grow into the best version of me.

It took me 58 years to love myself enough to book myself in at Helderberg Clinic. I didn’t know what to expect. I arrived at the hospital feeling stressed, nervous and uncomfortable. I felt the anxiety that was with me for years.

My first impression of the hospital was the professional, friendly, calm and helpful reception staff, putting me at ease. I already felt better.

I am grateful that I found a caring and empathetic Psychiatrist. He prescribed medicine for my condition, which is working very well. I am in such a better space, mentally and emotionally.

The Psychologist helped me so much to see things as it is. She is a solution-driven person and gave me practical advice on balancing my chosen new life path.

The Social Worker was friendly and caring. I know that she will be there for me. It created a sense of security that put my anxiety under control.

The two Occupational Therapists both love and care for people. They kindly taught us life skills to be functional human beings again. They taught us about boundaries, forgiveness and loving ourselves.

I was utterly surprised by the calm, helpful, empathetic and exceptionally friendly nursing staff. The rooms were clean, and the bedding was comfortable. It was quiet and relaxing. I liked the routine and will continue it at home in the future. It gives my life structure and balance.

Helderberg Clinic was my second chance to become a healthy, happy, balanced and functional person. I received the tools and skills to find my feet in society again. Like a baby back in his mother’s womb, I feel born again in this safe environment.

I was received and accepted at Helderberg Clinic. Everybody, including fellow patients, took my hand without judgment or expectation. The environment made it possible for me to choose my unique path and manage my life responsibly. 

I advise anyone struggling daily to love yourself enough to come to Helderberg Clinic and take the loving and willing hands to find inner peace and balance again.

Thank you, Helderberg Clinic!

The lessons I’ve learned and the people I’ve met here will stay with me long after I leave South Africa. You all have big hearts. Thank you for helping me find my smile and myself again.

You are the light in a dark tunnel – a beam of sunshine when needed most. The life skills I’ve learned will stick for a lifetime.

Words can’t describe how grateful I am for every one of you. From the medical staff to the cleaning and the kitchen staff played an unbelievable role in my healing. You are God’s hands on earth.

You are all unbelievable, and my 16-year-old heart cries to leave you behind.  I love you and good luck with the road ahead. You will be saving a lot of souls.

I have never in my 44 years, experienced such empathy and compassion. I was brought here in a broken state direct from ICU, still dazed and confused after my attempted overdose. Without judgement, you took me under your loving wings.

I would like to take this opportunity  to express  my gratitude and appreciation to all the staff at Helderberg Clinic. From the front desk to the maintenance staff, household department to the nurses, catering department, physiotherapists and medical team – Thank you!

There existed a common thread of compassion, empathy, kindness, patience, understanding and support  throughout  the staff. This made me feel safe, accepted, nurtured  and free to heal. As a team, the synergy  was faultless and the positive spirit  which radiated from everyone was infectious and contributed  to the healing  process. You are a phenomenal  team and your contribution to mental well-being, priceless!

FROM ROOM TO ZOOM!

My story of recovery and beating COVID-19 with help from Claro & Technology. 

Well, how do I start? Oh yes! Hello, my name is Dean, and I’m a recovering Crystal Meth Addict, and I’m just over two years sober! This is how I would usually introduce myself at my weekly Claro Aftercare Meetings, so yes that’s me, a happy, blessed and proud recovering addict, and I would like to share a little bit of my journey so far:

The last two years of sobriety has been the happiest, successful and the most educating years of my adult life so far and I don’t regret accepting that I have and always will have an incurable disease called addiction. For +-8 years I lived in denial and pretended my life was perfect and fulfilling, but I kept lying to everyone and myself until the dragon I kept chasing came to bite me and almost swallowed me whole.

Finding courage and finally facing the need and want of “REHAB”, I was introduced to Claro Clinic, N1 City and all I can say…best money and time I have ever spent, period! They accepted me as part of the family, and all I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you to all the Psychiatrists and Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Nurses, Claro Management and All the Claro Staff – You know who you all are! I will forever be grateful to you all! 

In Claro, I met some amazing people from all walks of the addiction spectrum, and it was such a feeling of belonging, knowing that I’m not alone, struggling with this disease. I was also introduced to Claro’s After Care group, that met twice a week at Claro, and we still meet today – three times a week now! Why? Well, COVID happened, but us addicts need our meetings. And with the wonder of technology and access to Zoom, we could continue meeting, sharing and help support each other through these difficult and trying times. With Hybrid meetings (bum on seat and Zoom combined) now being the new normal, I am always connected to my fellow addicts!

With the help of Claro and my Support group, not only am I sober today, but I have a newfound craving for life, self-love & respect and the most loving and supporting fiancé and family in the world!

So here is to Claro Clinic! Thank you for your contribution to my sobriety and those of my fellow addicts. One day at a time, I can’t, but together we can!

I went to Claro in full denial and left knowing I was an alcoholic. The penny dropped when I was working through some documents Annalie gave us one weekend. No matter how I tried to negotiate, adapt, excuse, debate or deliberate the info, I had to come to terms that I could never drink again. It was very hard since I considered wine a prominent part of my life and who I am. After 170 days sober, I now know I don’t need to drink to be fun, liked, or to be the life at a party.

Most important things I took from Claro:

• I am enough
• Never judge
• Self-love
• Live in present
• Gratitude

Thank you, Claro, for my sobriety! 

Claro and the meetings were the best things that happened in my life.

Claro was the place where I realised that I could not go on with the self-destructiveness. Claro changed my life for the better. The meetings reinforce my conviction and give me a place to express myself and gives me a sense of belonging!

This group is my loving, honest family, more so than blood. I find travelling at night tricky and will struggle without the support and learnings from our Zoom meetings. I thank God for Claro, who creates the strong foundation we can all positively build on.

I didn’t know how I was going to travel this sober journey. I didn’t know if I could do it. I didn’t expect it to be so hard. I don’t know what tomorrow holds for me on this path, but one thing I know now, I can’t, WE CAN!

For me, the best thing about Claro Zoom-meetings is that now even if a patient stays too far to attend the normal meetings, they still have the chance to feel part of the Claro Family and don’t have to find a support group in their area.

Claro gave me a second chance at life. The Zoom group/meetings with the most ever-amazing bunch of people have ensured I live that life in the most amazing way.

The Zoom-meeting platform has become my new normal as it is by far the most accessible channel for maximising the number of meetings I could possibly attend. The previous two-days-a-week, physical meetings at Claro was great. Still, I could only manage one session, as a lot of planning goes into balancing travel time and personal responsibilities with the value of being at the meeting. As a person who sometimes needs to travel out of town for work, I often missed meetings. With the Zoom/hybrid-meeting option, I can connect from wherever I may be. 

Dear Mr. Fortuin,

Kindly express my sincere appreciation to all your staff, especially the night duty shifts, whom I can only compliment on their friendly and very helpful attitude.

I am always greeted with warmth and genuine smiles – even at 5am in the mornings, after at times, they had an exhausting, demanding night behind them.

They have assisted without fail and have always been so helpful, accompanying me to patients’ beds, gently informing patients why I was there and introducing me to them. It is the manner in which it’s all done that is so appreciated.

What a GREAT bunch of wonderful, warm, kind-hearted people!

Dear Mr. Fortuin,

I was a patient at your hospital from 21 February to 8 March 2019. I will mention the names of the people I can remember, but they were all beyond fantastic!

The day of admission was very scary, and I didn’t know what to expect. Your reception staff was very welcoming and did not stop smiling for the duration of the time they had to explain the whole procedure. Thank you to Warwick for making me feel at ease.

Then came the clinical admission. I received warm smiles and welcoming on entering the unit. Deidre, the nurse who admitted me, was superb and is an investment to your hospital. Please, motivate her to advance in her career. All the nursing staff was phenomenal. They really gave me the feeling that there is hope for the nursing fraternity going forward. I sometimes wished I could just join in with them and be part of your team. However, this time around I was on the receiving end, and I knew what my boundaries were. All of you, day and night staff, made the stay pleasant. I applaud you for your compassion.

The kitchen staff, Janine, thank you for accommodating me with my halaal meals. There was never a mistake, and the staff all made me feel special because of how they respected my faith and how they presented my meals. Janine, you have a compliment of staff who cares for their patients and who goes that extra mile.

The cleaning staff was very friendly and helpful – They always had smiling faces, and when asked for assistance, they were more than willing to help.

Last but definitely not the least, Mr. Mpele Tau. Your lessons on life skills is a motivation and inspiration to anyone who goes to the sessions and knows what they want when they get to the end of their time at the clinic. You made it easy with the passive and understanding manner in which you presented your sessions. What was very impressive, was to notice the respect you had for your patients, you never thought for one minute you were above any of us. When you were spoken to, you would always pull your chair closer and sit face to face with the person(s). Your morals and values really speak volumes.

Mr. Fortuin, you have a remarkable team of multi-disciplinary individuals who hold your clinic’s mission and vision high above the rest. West Beach Clinic deserves an accolade for the way their staff performs as a team, making the patient journey a lifetime experience. Patients can know that if there’s ever a time to revisit, they will be respected for their need of help in the situations they find themselves in. Your institution will be given good reviews by me with whomever I am in contact with.

I SALUTE ALL OF YOU AT WEST BEACH CLINIC!
Thank you, and God bless.

Dear Annalie, Lynette, and staff of Claro Clinic ATC

Our CEO, Mr Anton Rossouw had a business meeting today with someone who incidentally had a family member in Claro Dependency Unit during December. This person had so much praise for how the patient and the family were treated during the stay in your hospital. He mentioned that the way staff members have worked with the patient and the family, remarkably contributed to the whole experience for them all. The compassionate service they’ve received made the process of admitting a loved one to the hospital much easier to deal with and accept.

From the Life Path Health management team, a special thank you to every person working in Claro Dependency Unit, for your contribution to the quality patient experience we believe in so firmly. You are greatly appreciated!

Warmest regards

Karen 

From the bottom of my heart, I can’t thank West Beach clinic enough! I’m so grateful and happy for how wonderful your team of people were to me as a patient – the doctors, administration staff, nurses, occupational therapists, kitchen and hospitality staff. During my stay of 21 days, I attended every life skill, art and mindfulness session.

In the beginning, I was naturally petrified, but now I’m looking at life with new eyes. I’m in tears because of the relief – A weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I’m a new person and even made a few friends.

SINCERELY THANK YOU FOR THE EXCELLENT SERVICE YOU DELIVER. Keep it up!  I will ensure to pop in and say hello!