FROM  TRAGEDY  TO  HELPING OTHERS

Left: Guy’s four children:

Left to right: Priscilla, Wendy, Michael and Robyn 
before her illness was diagnosed.

My second eldest daughter, Robyn, was born  on 16^th September in 1983 and lived until 9^th July 2002 having suffered  for many years from an incurable and progressive neurological illness (metachromatic  leukodystrophy).

Up until she was about six years old Robin was fit and healthy - a happy, bubbly little girl with an infectious laugh and a cute “wrinkly nose” when she smiled.  

After the diagnosis of her illness she steadily deteriorated until she died on 9^th July 2002.

But out of this sadness rose a phoenix-like entity that was inspired and named by her mother, a qualified nursing sister. It was called the “Robin Trust” and is a non-profit organisation based in Pinelands, Cape Town that offers, inter alia, home based care for people no longer able to look after themselves or who need post-operative care.

Caring about the well-being of, and helping, others to the best of one’s ability gives value, purpose and meaning to one’s life, says Guy.  Robyn’s mother founded the “Robin Trust” in Robin's memory and last year (2014) Robyn’s father helped set up “Macleod Care”, a small family enterprise catering for the caring and companionship needs of young and old.