MARNÉ SWANEPOEL
South Africa’s National Cupcake Day 4 Kids with Cancer was on 28 September. This was an opportunity to volunteer by distributing cupcakes at Menlyn Mall in exchange for donations for kids with cancer. Cupcakes of Hope is a non-profit organisation and a Public Benefit Organisation which aims to raise funds and awareness for children fighting cancer and to educate the community. Cupcakes of Hope hosts several events throughout the year, their main event being National Cupcake Day 4 Kids.
PDBY spoke to “Cupcake Angel”, Anzelle Fourie from Pretoria East. Fourie has a passion to bake, to help children and to give back – that is why she organised two mall activations for Cupcakes of Hope this year. Fourie assembled hundreds of volunteers to give their time and energy to assist in baking cupcakes, producing “toppers” and manning the stations on National Cupcake day. Because of their efforts, Cupcakes of Hope was able to raise funds for children suffering from cancer, who are in need of medical and financial assistance.
This year’s National Cupcake Day was a sight to behold with tables packed with an array of cupcakes of various flavours and colours – 8000 in total. Cupcake Angels “bake a difference for children fighting cancer” and they do this through their love of baking. PDBY reached out to Fourie to talk to her about her journey of being a part of Cupcakes of Hope. Fourie first got involved in Cupcakes of Hope in 2012 after a friend introduced her to the Organisation. “I have kids of my own and just responded with my heart. I thought about how lucky I was and then I had my own scare with my daughter nearly passing away, and it shocked me. I began to relate to the charity even more as I thought about what it must be like to lose someone to this disease. So, I thought if I can help make a difference in a child’s life, then it makes it all worthwhile,” she said.
“…So, I thought if I can help make a difference in a child’s life, then it makes it all worthwhile.”
Fourie began baking a difference in 2012 and then went on to coordinate a mall activation at Kolonnade Retail Park in 2013 and every following year until 2016. In 2017 she decided that she wanted to do more and doubled her efforts, she is now responsible for two mall activations each year on National Cupcake Day. One activation in Menlyn Park, where we joined her and her team of Cupcake Angels, and one in Woodlands Boulevard.
The sweetness doesn’t stop there, however. Fourie also regularly visits hospitals and gives cupcakes to the children at Steve Biko academic hospital and Unitas hospital. Apart from being a full-time Cupcake Angel, as well as all the work she does for Cupcakes of Hope, Fourie is also a full-time bookkeeper, a mother to two children and a part-time baker. According to Fourie, “What really makes this charity so special is the interaction with the survivors and the special feeling you get from helping someone else”.
Cupcakes of Hope continues to spread hope to the community whilst spreading icing on cupcakes. If you want to spread some cupcake love, you can, by visiting www.cupcakesofhope. org. There you can find the nearest participating mall and contact the mall co-ordinator to make your pledge of 24 or 48 cupcakes. Anyone can support the cause on the day by making an R10 donation in exchange for a delicious cupcake.
Photograph by: Marné Swanepoel
