With 2014 off to a busy start, I would just like to say thank you for the continued support from our loyal members who have made it possible for me to fulfill my passion of helping people. 2013 had certainly brought a lot of changes along with wider horizons for Medicare EMR.
In July 2012 I was knocked over by a drunk driver and suffered a broken leg and required surgery to repair it. After a very brief stay in hospital, I headed back to Franschhoek only to discover I had contracted an infection, almost losing my right leg below the knee. A special thank you goes out to Dr Alexander Heywood for his advice and treatment of the infection and ultimately saving my leg.
The incident forced me to take a backseat from working on the road and to allow for the 18 month recovery period. During this period, Kurt Maske also qualified as an ILS (Intermediate Life Support) and has since then also completed his ITLS (International Trauma Life Support) and ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) qualifications. Kudos to you sir and keep up the great work – Kurt works as a permanent volunteer for us here at Medicare EMR and thankfully was able to fill in for me on the road while I recovered, so I would like to take this opportunity and thank Kurt Maske for his assistance during that difficult time.
We would also like to thank the Lions Club of Franschhoek for their support and urge you to support the Lions Ladies. They work very hard every year to raise funds for us for to purchase of equipment and supplies via their fundraising events so that we can continue to provide Emergency Medical Services free of charge to those who cannot afford it.
In retrospect, 2013 was a milestone year for Medicare EMR as we turned 7 years old on the 10th of November. With me being forced to spend less time on the road and more time behind a desk in our new offices, we decided to take a re-look at the business to accommodate the growing need in the Franschhoek Community.
We have broadened our scope outside of Franschhoek through the provision of medical resources at events. These events include all kinds of sports, music and corporate events and festivals. Our successful approach to this industry has seen our client base soar, along with our reputation of providing a professional service and we have built up a tremendous amount of integrity with our clients. The income earned at these events has helped us continue to uplift and provide the service we do in the Franschhoek community. Today I am proud to say we have become one of the leading Events Medical Resource providers in the Western Cape due to our steadfast refusal to cut corners or standards.
We have also expanded our Training division in providing an array of various courses and providing training solutions to our clients here in the Western Cape and Northern Cape. Head on over to our website https://www.medicare-emr.co.za for information on the training solutions we provide.
I have always believed prevention is better than cure and tackling the problems in the community head-on. A large amount of the problems experienced in the community are due to the break down in the family structures, resulting in domestic violence, substance abuse and a rise in crime. One of the ways we have tried to approach this is through awareness raised via the Flash Info News Page, a collaboration project between Medicare EMR and Ron Whytock. Through this project we have striven to support our fellow community workers and organizations and unite our efforts to create a sense of community within Franschhoek. Together we can make a difference.
On other related community matters like crime, we are glad to inform you that myself and Monika Vermeulen, partner at Medicare EMR, have been making big strides in making the community a safer place for all. Both of us are serving on the executive committee of the Franschhoek Community Police Forum. I am currently the Public Relations Officer and Monika is the Treasurer and interim Secretary for the CPF. I also hold the Safety & Security portfolio on Councillor Frazenburg Ward 1 Committee.
We would like to send out a request to you to urge others to join our Membership Program so that we can continue providing the professional level of care you have come to expect from us. Even if you are the picture of health and never need to use our services, remember that the money raised via our membership program serves to help those who do not have access to emergency care or medical aids. It is often those who cannot afford it who need us the most. Without the support from the community I simply could not do the work alone.
“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live.” – George Bernard Shaw
Yours truly
Garth Van Zyl
