Cupcake Angels Mumsy Mkhize and Cheryl Samuel about to taste the fruits of their labour for Cupcakes of Hope. Beautifully iced cupcakes will be on sale in malls across the country next Saturday, September 28, to raise funds to support children who have cancer and their families. Picture: Shelley Kjonstad Independent Newspapers
Cupcakes of Hope continues to “bake a difference” in the lives of children suffering from cancer and their families.
Cupcakes of Hope founder Sandy Cipriano started the organisation 10 years ago when her friend lost her 3-year-old daughter to cancer.
“Little Chiara’s journey inspired me to start helping other children in similar situations and I’m proud to say that last year we raised more than R2 million on the day by selling 200 000 cupcakes. The cupcakes help raise funds for our little patients in need.”
National Cupcake Day is next Saturday, September 28 at 70 malls across South Africa.
Cipriano said anyone could become a Cupcake Angel and any recipe could be followed as long as it included a secret ingredient: they must be made with love.
“A lot of our volunteers bake in support of friends and family that are currently fighting cancer. Some have lost loved ones, so they bake in honour of their loved ones. This helps them with their healing process and in some cases it also helps give them purpose again.”
She said her passion for helping came from seeing how whole communities banded together for children who are fighting cancer.
“It’s our way to show support, our cupcakes are beacons of hope. I’m so passionate about it because Cupcakes of Hope is creating a platform where we can all ‘bake a difference’ ‒ all you need is a bit of time and loads of love.
“We are spreading cupcake love all across South Africa and on National Cupcake Day our volunteers from all different backgrounds stand shoulder-to-shoulder at malls across the country to help fight childhood cancer. We all have to help because our little cancer fighters don’t deserve to fight this battle alone.”
“We also host Super Hero day on October 31, where we invite everyone to dress up as a superhero. The reason is because October 31 is the birthday of the first patient we assisted back in 2009.
“We help the children financially, we assist with supplying wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, paying for outstanding medical bills, providing nutritional foods as well as other day-to-day needs like transport money. Last year we also delivered more than 2 600 activity care bags to more than 20 paediatric oncology wards across South Africa and through our events, we hope to sell many cupcakes to help more families.”
Over the past 10 years Cupcakes of Hope has donated several wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs to children who lost their limbs because of cancer while also doing hospital room makeovers.
“It’s truly amazing to see how the whole community comes together and uses their God-given talent to bless these little patients. We will continue to do everything we can to give them hope and support; they don’t deserve to fight this battle alone,” said Cipriano.
To find your nearest participating Cupcake of Hope mall or to help or donate, visit cupcakesofhope.org