At 14, Rowena Simmers is used to setting high standards for herself. The Grade 9 learner at Knysna Secondary School has been a top academic performer and wants to finish the school year as strongly as she can. A diagnosis of myeloid leukaemia changed the setting of that work. Rowena is receiving intensive treatment at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, away from her classroom and home routine. Even so, she remains determined to keep up with lessons and prepare for assessments where her health allows.
Her mother, Yolanda Oelf, left her job so that she could stay close during treatment. That decision reflects the realities many families face during a serious illness: travel, accommodation, lost income and everyday costs continue alongside medical care.
The campaign surrounding Rowena is about making space for treatment, family presence and learning. Her determination is real, but she should not have to carry the practical weight alone.
What people made possible
- Rowena is continuing schoolwork where her health and treatment allow.
- Her mother has stayed close throughout intensive care away from home.
- Community support can ease the non-medical costs that gather around long treatment.
View the campaign
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