Any donation of these items, or a financial contribution towards purchasing these items, would be greatly appreciated!! ❤️
Any hero willing to bless our Butterflies can have it delivered to either one of our homes:
EMPANGENI:
Butterfly Palliative Home
1 Eland Crescent
Nyala Park
Empangeni
3880
Contact Nr: +27 66 435 1302
INGWAVUMA:
Butterfly Palliative Home
Main Road
Ingwavuma
3968
Contact Nr: +27 71 580 4719
Alternatively, a donation can be made with the reference “wishlist”.
PAYPAL: paypal.me/butterflyph
BANK: Butterfly Palliative Home
FNB Cheque Account
Acc No: 62857825742
Branch: 250069
Swift Code: FIRNZAJJ
Reference: PEG
It truly takes a village to care for our Butterflies and we are so grateful to our virtual village who keep our hands and hearts strong! 🙌🏻💪🏽🤟🏻
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17/03/2026
Today we would like to wish our three special Social Workers Tarryn, Nokwazi and Patience a very happy Social Workers’ Day🎉
Your work is not easy, but you always put the patients and their families first and are in many ways the glue that keeps the Butterfly family together. Your dedication and passion is seen and deeply valued🙏🏻
17/03/2026
Our big little man... or is it our little big man? 😄
Now that Smangi has mastered sitting all by himself, he has gained a certain cool "swagger". Just chillin' and taking it all in! 😎
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16/03/2026
Our Ingwavuma funny-bunnies are growing up! 🥹😍
Can you believe how big our Ingwavuma babies have gotten?! I swear they were all in nappies just the other day, and now look at them! I suppose we can't call them Butterfly "Babies" anymore. 😭
It is such a joy to watch these little ones grow, thrive, and find their own personalities. Time really does fly when you're surrounded by so much laughter and love at our children's hospice. ❤️
I think we are going to need a bigger sofa...
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14/03/2026
The 13th of March is Trisomy13 awareness day. Today we would like to honour a special baby girl, Lu, who sadly passed away in December 2025 and was one of the most incredible little T13 warriors🫶🏻
In the picture carer Zeze, who formed a special bond with Lu, can be seen whispering sweet words of love and encouragement💗💗💗
13/03/2026
NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES! 🦸🏻🥳🇩🇪
We are absolutely over the moon to announce that our incredible German partners, Waymaker, have swooped in to save the day!
In a true "superhero" move, Waymaker e.V. has donated the funds for ALL ten of the Mic-Key PEG feeding kits we so desperately needed for our children's hospice. This means ten of our most vulnerable children now have the life-saving equipment they need to receive nutrition and medication safely. 🙌🏽
To the team at Waymaker: thank you for being such amazing champions for our little ones. You are total lifesavers! 💪🏼❤️
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12/03/2026
Brain power at work! 🧠
Our Ingwavuma crew has been busy with their latest school activity today. It is so lovely to see these little minds hard at work, although some are definitely more "into it" than others!
Just look at Amy... she has clearly decided that focusing is optional today! 😂😂
Whether they are finishing their masterpieces or just daydreaming, we love seeing them simply being kids and enjoying their time in the classroom. 🎨
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12/03/2026
March is Trisomy Awareness Month🎉
We would like to take this opportunity to create awareness around Trisomies since we care for so many special children at Butterfly with various Trisomy syndromes🫶🏻
11/03/2026
Hospice life is a powerful blend of joy and sorrow. We seek to uplift children and their families as they navigate life's ups and downs with faith and perseverance.
One of our patients' mothers had her birthday today, and although she's coping with the pain of her son's deteriorating health, we also took time to celebrate HER. This may be this mother's last birthday spent with her child, making today a truly unforgettable day. These memories will be treasured forever. You are seen, mama, you are strong, and you are celebrated 🎉🎉🎉
📸 Image shared with permission.
11/03/2026
Today we said goodbye to a brave little boy at our Empangeni Butterfly Home who battled brain cancer. Our hearts go out to his family and everyone at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital Friends Umduduzi - Hospice Care for Children, Queen Nandi Regional Hospital, Empangeni and our Butterfly team who supported and cared for him.
Childhood cancer is devastating and it takes a massive network of medical and psychosocial care providers to render quality palliative care.
You are pain-free now sweet boy🩵 You will always be remembered.
11/03/2026
Friends, we are still in desperate need of PEG feeding tubes.
For many of the children in our hospice, eating and drinking normally (orally) is not a safe option. A gastrostomy tube, or PEG, which is inserted directly into the tummy, is the only way they can receive the nourishment and medication they need to survive and thrive.
What many might not know is that each one of these little Mic-Key PEGS costs R3500, and they must be replaced regularly to prevent infection and ensure they function correctly.
We currently have ten children feeding via PEG tubes, and as we receive no financial or material support from the Government, the full cost of these life-saving devices falls on us.
Can you help us provide these essential feeding tubes for our children?
Every donation, big or small, brings us closer to our goal. Whether you contribute towards a portion of a kit or fund a full PEG, your support directly impacts a child's health and comfort.
🌍 To our overseas friends:
Your support goes so far here in South Africa! A donation of approximately $185 / €170 / £145 covers the entire cost of one life-saving Mic-Key PEG kit for a child in our care.
HOW TO HELP:
PAYPAL: paypal.me/butterflyph
BANK: Butterfly Palliative Home
FNB Cheque Account
Acc No: 62857825742
Branch: 250069
Swift Code: FIRNZAJJ
Reference: PEG
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Nestled on top of the picturesque mountain community of Ingwavuma, South Africa, is a very special place called Butterfly Palliative Home. Here we care for orphaned and abandoned babies from all over South Africa who need a family and special medical care due to life-limiting conditions. All of these little ones have a story to share. Their stories are mostly heartbreaking, filled with sad memories and many visits to the hospital. But they all have one thing in common: they are survivors - they are little warriors - and they now call BPH their home...
It all started in January 2018 when our founders, Christoff and Tarryn Bell, received a phone call about an abandoned baby boy from Soweto who needed a home. This tiny person happened to be discovered by a jogger out on his morning run who heard a noise and found a tiny baby discarded in the bushes. At the time baby Si was thought to have Down Syndrome and was estimated to be about six months old. Cold, dehydrated and emaciated, little Si was rushed to a nearby hospital to receive emergency medical treatment.
The Bells adopted their son Joshua, who has Down Syndrome, in 2015 and the hope was that they might be interested in adopting another little guy with the same diagnosis. Christoff Bell, a medical doctor at Mosvold Hospital, and his wife Tarryn, a social worker, were running a Christian non-profit called Izandla ZeAfrika at the time. It soon came to light that baby Si’s condition was much more serious than anticipated and he was diagnosed with Trisomy 18 or “Edwards Syndrome”, a condition which is widely regarded as not being compatible with life. Baby Si was in bad shape and not given long to live.
The Bells could not shake the feeling that they were called to help this little one as well as others like him. After much deliberation and prayer they decided to take Si into Foster Care and opened Butterfly Home for babies with palliative needs. The little home was started as a project under Izandla ZeAfrika and started with four home-based caregivers who were trained to look after children with special needs. A week after Si arrived at Butterfly home the next butterfly was placed, and soon after that another one. The little ones kept coming and the home grew and grew. Si began to flourish and was quickly surrounded by five brothers and sisters.
Today Butterfly Palliative Home is a registered Non-Profit Company and in the process obtaining full Hospice status. We are growing from strength to strength, with the help of amazing sponsors and volunteers and a team of twelve staff members ensure that our children receive only the best care.
