2025 a year of double growth for Care Days!
As we enter 2026, Care Days has more than doubled the number of Care Days and Dreams given in the last year compared to the total of the last three years to over 750 in four years!
The majority of these are in Cyprus followed by South Africa, which has shown incredible first full year growth and we have also given a limited number of Dreams away to patients in the Uk, Holland and Greece.
Our Founder, Andrew, is forecasting over 1000 by the end of year 5 next year.
With growth comes the need for more donations for Dreams and so far we have had great success in 2025 in raising more money and offers of free Care Days than ever for cancer patients from businesses and generous individuals.
Our “Sponsor a Dream in memory of a loved one “campaign has done very well yet again and is a great way to remember a loved one, with their name being published if you request.
With Dreams more than doubling in the last year raising money is more and more vital to give the support needed to cancer patients.
We have received an amazingly generous donation from our friend Sue Brown in memory of her lovely Mum Julia Hope who sadly died in November. Her Mum was a great supporter of Care Days and this money will be added to our personal donation for the CANSA/ Care Days Sweetlove nurse for 1 day every week for a year and will mean that patients in S.Africa will be diagnosed early which should save a lot of lives. With the 2 donations this means we have assured continuity of our diagnostic nurse in the poor township areas for the next two years, which will answer the prayers of so many patients!
Furthermore, Jenny’s stepson, just recovered from cancer is doing a marathon up 3 UK mountains in 12 hours on March 22nd when we do our 1000km Fun walk, to raise money for the Sweetlove nurse, named in memory of Jenny’s husband who died of cancer and his son.

We have also received generous Sponsor a Dream donations from other individuals who wish to support Care Days and Jenny has donated a Dream in memory of her daughter Theresa who died of a blood clot aged 53. She has been working hard with Father Christmas and Charlotte to donate surprise Christmas presents to the Constantinou Bros Athena Beach Hotel on Christmas Day for our Christmas miracle patient Mr.M and family !

“I honestly didn’t realise how much 2 days away from the everyday reality would boost everyone’s spirits so much.” Mrs. R
Another Dream donation has been given to pay for a lovely Cypriot cancer patient on my ward to fly to S. Africa to see her family. Our thanks to Mr and Mrs W.
“Care Days Dreams has given me hope for the future as I have something to look forward to and it made me smile again!” Mrs. C
For Andrew it is a very great privilege that he is allowed to visit and comfort cancer patients on his ward every week. He finds it humbling to be able to give them strength and hope, which is what Care Days are all about.
Our lovely masseuse Judy Grove has very kindly agreed to continue offering hand and feet massages every week to cancer patients at the wonderful Dr. Astras oncology ward at St. George hospital and her loving care and smiling face is very much appreciated as a Care Days add on to the care given by the nurses and Doctors.
Our major sponsorship event is our 1000km Fun walk in which patients and supporters walk just 5k along the coastal path raising money for Care Days cancer patients on Sunday March 22nd. This will be even bigger than we expected as we will be represented in 3 Continents on the same day!
Tom Schnitzius, the legendary double marathon runner is running for Care Days in S.America, CANSA are doing a beach walk in South Africa, Steve Sweetlove is doing his mountain marathon in the UK, Andrew’s son Bruce is arranging a team walk in the UK, Andrew and Jenny have committed to each walk 100 kms in February in S Africa.
Amazingly, our Christmas miracle patient has decided to join many of us cancer patients to try to attempt the 5k walk partly in a wheelchair and he is determined to listen to his daughter Sophia sing! What an inspiration. Hopefully as many of you as possible will join the TLC School, Winkles, Friend’s Hospice and others in Paphos by filling in the walker form by end January. If possible please ask your friends to join your team. We only ask for €40 donation each and ALL the money we raise goes to the cancer patients and limited but necessary advertising in Cyprus only, as none of the Directors of Care Days or The Friend’s Hospice receive any salary or expenses.
Viva fm have confirmed that they will do a live broadcast on the day which is kindly sponsored by Helen Charles Salon London and Marry Me Cyprus and it will give patients, supporters and sponsors the opportunity to go on live radio to explain why Care Days and the Friend’s Hospice are so important to them.
Apart from TLC students playing music for us with their music teacher Clare doing a fantastic job of MC, we have a 15 year-old girl, the daughter of one of our patients singing jazz and an 11 year old girl the daughter of one of the Winkles bravely agreeing to sing for us. The Winkles will make everyone smile with their monster beer cart.
Decorator Dave is running both the Tui half marathon and 5k Fun Walk for Care Days, a brave lady and friend are flying in from the UK to run the Tui full marathon and 10k. Rain or shine let’s make this a fun morning raising money for cancer patients through Care Days and Friend’s Hospice.
Chris Jones, the Chairman of The Friend's Hospice together with his team has worked tirelessly during the last 5 years to transform the house in Tala so generously offered to them, into what is now a truly beautiful and state of the art Hospice which is so badly needed in Paphos. The support he has received from local businesses has been overwhelming, as has their support for Care Days and we both feel privileged to live in Paphos District where local businesses and individuals really care about helping those with cancer. Chris has shown a level of patience and tenacity that passes all understanding, but he has never given up. He and his team have raised the necessary funds to build the Hospice and obtain permissions, now they will need to raise c.Eu 300,000 each year to pay for the costs of running this much needed addition to cancer care in Paphos District.
We have had 6 bookings so far for the lovely Droushia Heights Hotel with its great views.

Focus on S Africa
Over 300 Care Days in just over 1 year!
CANSA celebrates its 95th year in 2026!
How fortunate Care Days was to have tied up with such a wonderful organisation whose volunteers understand the Care Days concept so perfectly.
We will be talking more about CANSA in the February editorial as they form a perfect partnership for Care Days to help more and more cancer patients in S.Africa.
Following the sad news of the death of 31 year old Charmonay Jonkers leaving 4 children we are sad to announce the death of 19 year old Leevandre Williams leaving a 1 year old son, Lamont in the care of his grandmother.
Care Days are of course arranging a Christmas hamper, clothes and toys through CANSA in memory of our clear friend Julia Hope and we wondered if there are any kind people out there who, at this time of giving, would be prepared to sponsor little Lamont and in return receive regular updates on how he is doing? You could be in the position of helping this baby develop into someone great as he stands at the edge of this awesome chasm.

If you feel you can help in a small way please write to Andrew at caredayscyprus@aol.com turn a nightmare into a Care Days Dream and change a life for whatever you can afford once a year.
Believe me, the pleasure we volunteers get at CANSA and Care Days from building up close friendships with our patients defies description and enhances our lives immeasurably.
Next month Andrew and Jenny are personally taking 102 cancer patients for Care Days and Dreams.
There is dinner at a 5 star seafront hotel in Cape Town, a boat trip round Table Bay, a full day coach tour to Cape Point and back and, 600 kms down the Indian Ocean Coast, a lunch at a beautiful restaurant followed by a walk down the 3 kms. long sandy beach at The Wilderness.
Last year we had the pleasure of meeting and becoming friends with Glenda and Kyle. Belief in him from his lovely Mum, Abeda and CANSA/ Care Days made Kyle exceed his expectations after being through a trauma that no boy of 15 and his Mum should go through. We will tell you their story next month
A message of determination: “I will fight to the end “
Gamieda Dolly took part in our very successful CANSA/ Care Days retreat organised so brilliantly by Abeda the inspirational Social Services Manager. Her words, like many others we received from the 24 cancer patients show us all the way look cancer in the eye and to fight the monster head on.
A heartfelt thanks to CAREDAYS Cyprus and CANSA, and sponsors, and Abeda for the amazing weekend spent with beautiful people.
I've learnt that I am not alone on this journey of cancer, that there are ladies who fight the battle with conviction, sincere faith and acceptance.
Being a secondary breast cancer patient with metastisis to the liver, I suppose I’m regarded as a palliative patient
Hard to admit, but reality faces me. I'll fight to the end.
At the retreat I've been exposed to coping mechanisms that can lighten my journey. We were exposed to not only mental but spiritual management of our journeys. I love that I could be part of it all. Gratitude abounds!
I look forward to more of these retreats.
Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for the love and care.
Gamieda Dollie
We wish everyone a healthy 2026 and thank our generous supporters and sponsors.
Care Days ....Live the Dream.
International Care Days 4U Ltd. Reg# HE 466660

Christmas Edition of the Cyprus Living Magazine is now out! See Care Days full page advert just 2 pages in ;) !!

26/11/2025

We are  very privileged to have the support of the Droushia Heights hotel for Care Days. They have very kindly agreed to give a special price for terminal cancer patients during the off peak season from September to the end of November and January to the end of March. If you would like to apply please do so on the Booking Form. This beautiful hotel has a magnificent view over Latchi towards the Troodos mountains. Where possible, Care Days cancer patients will be upgraded to a Seaview room but this cannot be guaranteed.

This offer is part of our Care Days Dreams programme and is for two people for one or two nights at this lovely hotel for terminally ill cancer patients, those who have secondary cancer and those where both partners have been diagnosed with cancer. This offer is for the room plus breakfast.

We are very grateful to the manager of the Droushia Heights hotel for agreeing to offer this special price to help cancer patients. During winter there is lovely fire in the lounge with plenty of comfortable seating and fabulous views. The restaurant provides beautiful meals at reasonable prices and there is a bar.

Relax and be spoilt at this lovely hotel. 

"The smiles say it all"

One of the inspirational things the Care Days Dream Team find is how many cancer patients both in Andrew’s oncology ward at St. George Hospital and during the CANSA/ Care Days in South Africa stay super positive even when they are being treated.

This says so much about the patients and about the Care givers in the Dr Astras wonderful ward, where so much laughter is often heard and as you can see above the patients are smiling. In South Africa too, we were bowled over by the happy smiling faces during our Care Days there, thank to the loving kindness of the CANSA Care team.

It is humbling for us to be a part of this happiness through our Care Days and Care Days Dreams initiatives, made possible by the generosity of Paphos businesses and our wonderful sponsors backed by our generous media sponsors.

Cancer is tough, there is no other word for it, but by smiling and staying positive, we can help ourselves to beat it, or in the case of terminal patients, some of whom are shown in these photos, they do not give in without a fight. We heard a lovely story recently about a terminal patient who has now been declared in remission!!

The work done by Judy Grove offering hand and feet massages to patients free of charge in Dr. Asrras’ oncology ward is a perfect example of how much good, kind people can do for cancer patients. Some even fall asleep during their treatment whilst Judy massages them for Care Days.

In the last 4 weeks she has massaged 22 cancer patients. The photo of her in a Care Days masseuse T shirt kindly printed free of charge by Printology, shows the happiness on this lovely Dutch lady’s face.

Another benefit of our tie up with the 93 year old CANSA charity is that we can discuss opportunities like this and both offer more benefits to our patients.

Judy’s husband, Andy was Chairman Of The Pretenders Golf Society at Aphrodite Hills and this year he and his golfing friends have raised the amazing total of €1,900! All this money will be donated to CANSA/Care Days kept in a ring fenced account and will enable us to give Care Days Dreams to a further 90 patients in S. Africa, over the next 2 years, as so much less goes so much further there.

In July we have offered a Dream of a spa day to a lady who has been treated for cancer for 5 years, a Dream to a lady with terminal cancer and Markos MY Hair has very kindly given a scalp massage and treatment to two lovely ladies on my ward who are on chemo every week and who have both lost their hair.

“My wife says it was absolutely fab and she really enjoyed the scalp massage, so thank you once again, Care Days and Markos MY Hair. See you at the next therapy hopefully! “ Mr E.

In July we also met a lovely lady in Crete who had chemo and surgery for breast cancer and thanks to the generosity of the Balos Beach Hotel, she will enjoy a Care Days day pass at this lovely seafront hotel. We were so impressed by her positivity.

In July we were very lucky to receive a further donation from Helen and Charles Salon and their customers for €250 to buy yet another Dream. Plus my cousin whose birthday is on the same day as mine has generously donated a Care Days Dream as my birthday present!

FOCUS ON S. AFRICA

Care Days were very humbled to receive the following charming letter from the CEO of CANSA, our partners in South Africa:

“Dear Andrew

Thank you so much for your thoughtful message and your kind words about Dorothy, Abeda, Gretchen, and the entire CANSA team. Your recognition means a great deal to all of us, and we are truly grateful for your ongoing partnership and support.

We deeply value the compassion and dedication you and your team bring to Care Days. The positive impact you have on our patients’ lives is both inspiring and uplifting, and we are honoured to work alongside you. Your generosity—both personal and financial—makes a real difference, and we appreciate the sacrifices you make as volunteers.

It is wonderful to hear that South Africa has become such an important part of your mission, and we look forward to continuing this journey together. Thank you again for your commitment, encouragement, and for being such an integral part of our extended family.

With heartfelt thanks,

Kind regards

Elize Joubert

Chief Executive Officer CANSA.

Care Days represent a small proportion of the amazing work that CANSA does in S. Africa, but what they have achieved for our joint CANSA Care Days operation in S. Africa is amazing, as you will read next month and it is such a pleasure to work with such dedicated and caring people.

CANSA/Care Days organized a pottery class for 11 patients with smiles all round. We would love to do it in Cyprus but no offers!?

In August CANSA Care Days are organizing an amazing Retreat for 15 patients including some terminal ones with 5 carers and 4 specialists. A full report of this amazing initiative will be in the September Paphos Post.

Care Days feel so privileged to be able to help so many patients in S Africa thanks to the dedication of our CANSA colleagues and specific donations for S Africa. The work that the cancer carers at CANSA have put in is remarkable, as is their total understanding of our Care Days concept.

Care Days… Live the Dream!

Care Days International 4 U Ltd. Co.reg# HE 466660

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A heart warming moment from our Care Days program: our dedicated volunteer masseuse providing comfort and relief to patients in the oncology ward with her exceptional massage therapy skills. Her compassionate touch brings both healing and hope.

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An amazing donation from 'The Pretenders'
Thank you sooo very much!!!!

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HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY CARE DAYS!

Six months ago Care Days had given away 300 Care Days. We have now given away over 500 Care Days  as well as granted 54 Dreams and 14 in S.Africa!

It all started 5 years ago when Andrew, the Founder of Care Days was beginning two years of immunotherapy. After 12 months of immunotherapy, he was in complete remission and as he was in the oncology ward so often he wanted to do something to help those less fortunate that himself. 

Thanks to his caring Nurse Paola, he met Leonidas in the ward, a 33 year old with terminal cancer and twins on the way. Leonidas and Paola, were the inspiration for setting up Care Days by finding a way of offering treats to cancer patients free of charge to relieve them from the treadmill that is cancer.

His widow, Kleiw Torou has bravely given us her permission to reproduce her very moving story of how something awful can lead to something wonderful:

Kleiw’s story:
So where do I start?  First of all, my Leonidas was the most good, the most kind and the most positive man I have met in my life (so he was my man)!  He had been suffering for years with stomach pains we were looking for it but unfortunately we could find nothing.  Until one day he had a bowel problem and then he fainted.  We entered the hospital stayed in the intensive care for a week, all the exams were done but again nothing was found.
I was in the process of getting pregnant with twins.  In the 5th month of my pregnancy, the phone rang and my ears rang (as if I knew) his doctor told him that he had cancer, I lost the earth under my feet, my nose was bleeding  and I thought I would faint.  I held on for Leonidas and for the kids I had in my belly.  I ran directly to my doctor to check if my babies were OK  from the shock. It was all good! Then our Calvary started, surgeries, exams to see where we were.  Leonidas didn't take me to the doctors because he was worried about me and my pregnancy (he always put me first) so I didn't know much in essence.  Only that he had to start treatments and see how it responds.  Doctors had not encountered such a kind of cancer in such a young man - only in grandparents over 80 and usually their lives last 8-12 months.  I locked myself in a room and was crying for days. I remember Leonidas every morning telling me “my little girl woke up well? We are healthy? Don't think about what will happen in 5 and 6 months , live your day!”  I saw him fight every day and he was so strong that I admired him with all my soul and he gave me the power to continue.  July 3, after a birthday that I didn't want to go to, there was pain in my belly on the night I returned home, after a while I saw blood, woke up Leonidas and we went straight to the clinic.  After 2 days in the clinic I was again in pain and by chance, my pediatrician came to the clinic and saw me and immediately called an ambulance to leave for the hospital because I was giving birth.  We arrived. I had surgery and I saw one baby, but the other I was told, had difficulty breathing. They didn't let anyone stay with me because of Covid.  The neonatalist came up and informed me that they did what they could, but there was no hope and they sent the baby to Nicosia to see if they could do something better there.  But unfortunately he did not make it and died the day after (the only one who met our baby was Leonidas). So we had our daily lives with our little one, we were happy but we didn't forget our big problem.

His treatments were doing well until the surgery told us that they could do no more.  Our doctors and nurses helped us so much and were always with us, I appreciated it so much.  Our friends our families my colleagues from work were all with us more than a family.  One night when I was pregnant, Saint Ephraim had come to my sleep, gave me a red flower and told me I would do well!  

Leonidas had  jaundice and had tumours in his belly.  So we continued our daily lives with pain but a lot of love.  Pasykaf was with us with psychological support to me mainly and with hospitalization at home so that Leonidas would not be suffering in the end.  It was Clean Monday I remember March 7 and he told me he wants to invite all my friends here to eat and I will bake and so we did (he was so happy that I remember it like yesterday) and after 2 days on Wednesday, March 9th., he was in such pain that we went to the hospital and then he was taken to the clinic and the doctor asked us if he needed more morphine or to continue with the pain killers for another day or two.  We  did not want to see him suffer like this to keep him yet another day, it would be very selfish so we chose with his Mum and his brother to do the best for him to be calm and so he was.  Doctors left us all in the hospital, us, our friends and families to stay with him until the last breath and we thank them very much. He left in my arms I felt that he calmed down as he didn't deserve to suffer so much, it's not worth it.  Everyone was with me in those days, a big family.  Then I moved to Greece because my parents who I thank them from the bottom of our hearts as we have had a home since then and help us with all their souls.  When I left Cyprus I became a volunteer blood donor and bone marrow donor I want to help the world as you do at Care Days.  Then I decided that I was going to pursue a nursing profession so I could help a little more, as they helped us.  Thanks to my parents for being by my side and watching my baby I was able to finish it.  Now as I told you and I still want to be able to intervene I want to take exams and become a general surgeon because I love the profession and I want to be at the forefront!  My decision, my girl who, thanks to her, stand up and above all, Leonidas who so bravely fought with the summer but defeated us in the end.  Thank you again Care Days from the depths of my heart! 

Finally an ethical lesson…. life goes on with its good and its bad.  “We have to live every day” as Leonidas used to say….” and be grateful!”

The success of Care Days with its unique formula of offering free of charge Care Days to cancer patients and those bereaved through cancer was only possible thanks to the wonderful and generous support from businesses in the Paphos area and our media sponsors.

Working with the lovely Paphos Bereavement Group, which does such a great job helping those recently bereaved, we offered a Day Pass at the lovely Annabelle Hotel:

“Dear Care Days. I had a fabulous day at the Annabelle Hotel, it feels like my batteries have been recharged.
I felt like a Queen for a day! 
My guests also had an amazing day, thank you all so much.
Best Wishes to you & Care Days."     

A new Care Day has just been born thanks to the generosity of Judy Grove, who now comes to my oncology ward at the St.George’s Hospital every Friday to give hand and/ or foot massages to cancer patients as they are being treated. 

Judy is a fully qualified masseuse who has experience of doing this in hospices in the Uk and her gentle touch is so soothing that several patients fall asleep and forget what they are going through! Care Days is so very grateful to her for this great new addition to the Care Days options for cancer patients. So far she has given a massage to 17 cancer patients in just 3 weeks!

Her husband, Andy, is the Captain of a golf society called The Pretenders, who raised Eu 1000 last year to help cancer patients through our CANSA Care Days cooperation in South Africa. This year they have raised even more and a cheque will be presented for an amazing Eu1900 for South Africa . Look out for next month’s edition of the Paphos Post where you will read about how it will be used to make so many Dreams come true in the next two years!

In fact this month has been an amazing month to celebrate our fourth birthday, as so many wonderful things have happened to us, including a lovely letter from the CEO of CANSA in S. Africa 

Thanks to one of our Care Days Cancer patients, we were approached by Soulas Yard restaurant in Letymbou who raised an incredible €450 which will buy 2 Dreams. This is a great place with a lovely atmosphere and we are very grateful to all the family for their support.

We are starting an advertising campaign for Care Days and already Kevin and Jane Williams have very generous donated Eu 500 towards it and Markos MY Hair Salon and Beauty Salon by Elena have contributed towards another one.

The owners of the lovely Fig and Olive Cottage at Pachna, whose 16 year old son has leukaemia, very kindly gave one of our Care Days patients and her husband the opportunity of a Dream of spending 2 days there, in this peaceful oasis. More will become available out of season for one day Care Days and two days and nights Dreams.

When a Dream was granted to a lady who lost her kidney due to cancer, she cried. It was very moving for us.

Whilst we try our best to help cancer patients, one of them lost his battle with cancer last month and left a 42 year old widow with two children, so we hope when the time is right, they will be able to enjoy a Dream that the father was not able to take up.

Two more Care Days patients are now on chemo every week on my ward and this is tough. But although they have both lost their hair, and will no doubt enjoy a scalp treatment with Markos MY Hair when they feel better, they are both always smiling when I walk in and one looks lovely with no hair and the other looks lovely with a wig. 

Beating cancer is all about being positive.

Our wing walker has had to postpone her walk for medical reasons,  temporarily we hope.

We are so very lucky at the St George’s Hospital oncology ward, that there is such a caring and loving atmosphere there.

We are also lucky to have our Care Days Ambassador, Karen and all those many people who support Care Days for cancer patients. 

The GB Ladies over 40s basketball Team raised Eu120 for Care Days by a sponsored training session! They also won a silver medal!!

Helen and Charles Hair Salon continue to raise money for Care Days Dreams through donations from their generous customers! Their hard work and commitment is truly awe inspiring.

The date for the Care Days/Friend’s Hospice 1000km fun walk will be on Sunday March 22nd and we are already planning to make this an even bigger and more fun event than this year. Please put the date in your diary and watch this space!

More about exciting developments in  S. Africa next month. 

Care Days ….Live the Dream 

Care Days International 4 U Ltd. CO.reg# HE 466660

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Care Days 6 months update

We registered Care Days as a not for profit company in December last year, allowing us to actively raise money. In the last 6 months we have raised over €20,000 from our 1000km team fun walk, in which 2 amazing runners raised over €1000 each, and The Winkles beer cart team raised even more, plus fantastic team donations from so many individuals and the TLC School, plus an €1900 donation for S. Africa from The Pretenders golf society in Cyprus and an €450 donation from Soulas Yard restaurant in Letymbou.
We have already given over 200 Care Days away this year bringing our total to over 500 thanks to the great support from our sponsors in Cyprus donating their services. Our tie up with the Paphos Classic Vehicle Club taking patients out in classic cars has been very popular. A masseuse has kindly volunteered to give hand and feet massages to patients on my oncology ward every Friday and we have been offered off season use of a lovely bungalow in Pachna for cancer patients.
We have now granted over 50 Dreams thanks to your support.
These range from trips to Crete or UK to see family for terminal patients, to a wing walk for a 70 year old terminal lady, to a 3 day break for a 16 year old with leukaemia with his Mum, to helping a terminal 19 year old in South Africa with a 3 month old daughter, to a terminal patient in Holland, to sending an abused, double mastectomy patient and her son on a computer course to improve her chances of a job in S. Africa.
We are shortly about to announce a cooperation with a large UK company which will help handicapped patients with cancer.
We are all unpaid volunteers so that the money you kindly donate all goes to the patients and to limited design work and advertising in Cyprus at vastly reduced rates, with two campaigns being kindly sponsored by individuals and Markos MY Hair.
In South Africa, which we visit 100% at our own expense, we have signed a cooperation agreement with CANSA which is a 93 year old cancer charity who understand exactly what Care Days is all about.
We had the privilege of accompanying 50 patients in Cape Town on two different Care Days and granting 14 Dreams. We knew that, as many patients were on the poverty line, these would be life changing for the cancer patients but we never realized how life changing it would be for us to experience their tears of joy.
Jenny and I have committed to donating €3500 every year to CANSA/Care Days in our ring fenced account at CANSA for South African cancer patients.
€1000 buys four Dreams in Cyprus, but 50 Dreams in S. Africa!

I finish with a few words from our ex Cyprus Minister of Health:
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for the exceptional work carried out by your organization, Care Days, in providing free pampering days to individuals diagnosed with cancer and in fulfilling the wishes of terminal patients through your Care Days Dreams program.
Care Days and Care Days Dreams have brought immense joy and comfort to those facing challenging times. The physical and emotional impact that cancer has on patients and their families can be overwhelming, and during such trying times, the importance of emotional support and self-care cannot be overstated.
Please accept our most sincere thanks for your support.
Sincerely
Dr.Kanari
Minister of Health"

Andrew and the Dream Team

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Care Days patients  have been offered  something really amazing by two lovely people badly touched by cancer, who own the fabulous cottage below in Pachna.
Steve and Em, whose 16 year old son has leukemia, have personally renovated this one bedroom beautiful “Fig and Olive” cottage with courtyard, comfy seating and a pool with calming waterfall.
Inside the decor is stylish and comfortable with a log burning stove and good TV programmes.
Although situated in the centre of Pachna it is enclosed, with lovely long distance views.

They have made Care Days the following offers:
If they have a cancellation or are not booked they will very generously allow Care Days patients diagnosed with cancer and their partner, or those bereaved through cancer,  the opportunity of spending a day or a day and 1 night in the peaceful, calming surroundings of this cottage. Available from end September if they have no cancellations. 
Maximum 2 people, no pets. 
Clearly this offer will come up with little notice so if you would like to take advantage of this great offer please email Andrew on caredayscyprus@aol.com. 
It will also be on our website in the near future. 
We will put your name on a waiting list and be in touch when we have availability. If you are not free, don’t worry,  you will retain your top position on our list for next time.
For terminal and secondary cancer patients or cases where both partners have been diagnosed with cancer, we can offer 2 nights at this cottage as part of our Dreams programme. 
Please do apply because thanks to Steve and Em this is an amazing offer to treat yourselves and totally relax in private, peaceful surroundings. 
These are available even if you have already enjoyed a Care Days Dream or a Care Day! 
Fig and Olive cottage fulfils what Care Days Dreams are all about. 
We often hear “ please give it to someone who needs it more than me. “
There will aways be others worse off than ourselves, as I have found out being back on the oncology ward for treatment. So please enjoy what is so generously  being offered by two really lovely people who certainly have more than their share of personal sadness….. and
KEEP POSITIVE!
This now brings our total Care Days offerings to 11, plus the lovely Shambala beachfront cottage should come available during the last quarter of this year once building next door has stopped!
All Care Days are very kindly offered by local businesses free of charge and are now available to anyone diagnosed with cancer throughout Cyprus.Thanks to cooperation with the Pafos Regional Board of Tourism, we are able to offer discounted rooms to those who live outside the Paphos Region out of season enabling patients to visit Paphos to enjoy the beauties of the region plus to enjoy a Care Day or a Care Days Dream.
Recently thanks to a referral from the marvellous Paphos Bereavement Group, we are able to offer a lady recently bereaved through cancer the opportunity of a Care Day at the beautiful 5 star Annabelle Hotel.
These are her comments:
“Thank you, I had an amazing day, quite emotional. The Annabelle is such a relaxing hotel to spend the day at.
My friend and I chatted lots about my late husband,
I have been working so much lately that it was a much needed day away to reflect and also plan my future and it was just what I needed
Thanks again, Care Days is an amazing charity that I will continue supporting in the future. Xx" Love H
Check out our website for the 11 options now available to cancer patients throughout Cyprus .
We are about to launch a mini advertising campaign thanks to support from the Paphos Post, Cyprus Living and Viva FM . Advertising is a very important method of getting the Care Days message across and we are so fortunate that we have obtained not only special rates from our media partners but also some of our advertisements are being paid for by Markos MY Hair and another very generous individual who has experienced cancer.
We have now given away over 500 Care Days in less than 4 years against our target of 400! This is an amazingly humbling achievement and whilst I was surprised to hear two of our S.African patients say they were glad that God had given them cancer, I now understand the privilege that I and the Care Days Dream Team have been given, enabling us to set up Care Days .It was only when a reporter asked me if I would have set up Care Days if I had not had cancer that I and my partners realised that this was for a reason and yes, we should be glad of this opportunity to help others, as it has enriched our lives so much.
Our wonderful Ambassador, Karen who has just got through cancer and her husband have been a great support to us and of course we are ALL unpaid volunteers and we personally pay all our own travel expenses so that the money we are donated goes where it should – to the patients and to getting the Care Days message across. 
Our Dreams programme is also going very well with 52 Dreams offered in less than 2 years against our target of 48. Dreams are available to anyone in Cyprus or occasionally  elsewhere with  terminal cancer, secondary cancer or in cases where both partners have been diagnosed with cancer. People’s Dreams vary from a trip to beautiful Chania, the Black Forest, a Greek island, a rural Lodge, flying to the UK to see family or vice versa, to dinners or hotels and next month a 70 year old lady will go wing walking we hope!
Dreams are all about what you the patients want to do and now we can add Fig and Olive Cottage Pachna and Shambala beachfront cottage Pomos, to the Dream for 2 nights off season as well as a lovely penthouse over looking St. Pauls Bay in Malta, again off season.
These Dreams were initially made possible through donations direct to the patients from the Winkles, a group of generous businessmen and since then through our 1000 km fun walk, personal donations and sponsorship from many individuals and companies all of whom want to help those of us with cancer and give them a break from the treadmill of blood tests, scans, chemo and immunotherapy, radiology, Doctor’s appointments, side effects and oncologist’s appointments. Believe me we are so very lucky to be living in Cyprus where cancer care for patients is of such a high standard and nowhere better than with Dr. Astras where the human touch has not been lost thanks to his wonderful support staff.
Care Days and Care Days Dreams offer cancer patients throughout Cyprus and now S.Africa the opportunity of something to look forward to and back on with pleasure, together with the opportunity to talk to our caring and small team who have all been touched by cancer:       “Care Days has become more than family to us.”Mrs.P
This last month we have offered a Dream to a terminally ill father of two with a 42 year old wife and bought a special hairband made from her own hair for a young lady in Holland.
If you know of anyone with cancer who may benefit from a Care Day or Dream, please contact us.

Focus on S.Africa
The face of compassion

Glenda Miller being comforted by Jenny when she heard we had granted her and her 15 year old son a Dream.

“We wanted express our gratitude for yesterday's shopping spree, for the 2 day holiday surprise and the boat cruise. We are still trying to process everything. Nothing like this has ever happened to us before. It was lovely spending time with you too, I especially enjoyed dancing with Mrs Jenny. The boat trip was breath taking. We would love to stay in touch. Thank you for the amazing day. May God bless you and keep you safe.”
Love Glenda and Kyle❤️
In South Africa we have given away over 200 Care Days Dreams. A Dream in S Africa costs around Eu 20 to give cancer patients a life changing experience.
We are already planning next year. As well as the boat trip round Table Bay and a meal at the 5 star seafront President Hotel in Cape Town, we are planning to take 30 cancer patients in a private coach to Cape Point on a day trip. This will cost around Eu 425, Eu15 per head!
This is one of the delights of helping cancer patients in S Africa as one can give so much more pleasure for so much less money therefore helping more cancer patients!
Our cooperation with the 93 year old CANSA Charity in S Africa has exceeded all our expectations and by our personal donations of Eu 3500 which Jenny and I are guaranteeing every year, donations from The Pretenders Golf Society, Michael who ran a double marathon and personal donations from the 1000km fun walk specifically for S. Africa, we will ensure continuity of the CANSA Care Days programme there for many years to come.
“What an inspirational editorial, with so many beautiful and enriching experiences from cancer warriors far and wide. We are so honoured at CANSA to be part of this chapter in this amazing journey of Care Days.” A. S
Care Days …..Live the Dream!
Care Days International 4 U Ltd. Co. reg# HE 466660

CARE DAYS HAS LOOKED AFTER OVER 500 CANCER PATIENTS!

In less than four years, Care Days has now looked after over 500 patients thanks to the amazing support that we have received from businesses who offer Care Days free of charge, our media partners, sponsors and supporters!
This is an amazing success story benefitting so many cancer patients primarily in Cyprus and South Africa, but also in other countries for extreme cases. 
Andrew Lauder, the Founder of Care Days, tries to explain why he feels Care Days has been so successful:
“Having been diagnosed with cancer 4 years ago and still in treatment, I am well placed, as are our other two Directors, to understand what cancer patients go through and what would help them to feel better.  We are very lucky in Paphos that we have such great cancer care, but it is like being on a treadmill, with a constant stream of blood tests, scans, treatment and worry.
Care Days, thanks to the extreme generosity of 10 businesses in Paphos offers to cancer patients and in many cases those bereaved through cancer, the opportunity to get a break from the treadmill and to enjoy a free of charge treat.
So what does Care Days offer?
These range from Markos MY Hair who offers hair treatments and also cuts hair off for those who are are worried about losing it because of chemotherapy and Beauty Salon by Elena , his daughter in the same building , who offers a wonderful full body or face massage all free of charge.
I am very grateful to Markos as he was the first company to offer support for Care Days just over 3 1/2 years ago and when you walk into his salon you are treated like family.
The beautiful Elysia Breeze offers a champagne( Cava) breakfast free of charge, surrounded by a multiplicity of fountains playing, The King Evelthon hotel offers patients the opportunity to use their beautiful indoor swimming pool for a morning, the 5 star Annabelle Hotel offers a full day pass with an Eu15 voucher to spend there either outside or in their beautiful top floor indoor pool with a view of Paphos Castle.
The Sea Caves restaurant offers a free drink overlooking the sea, Dominique Kana offers free Tai Chi sessions to cancer patients every Friday morning, Gayle Bevan a professional photographer offers Eu 150 worth of portrait photography free of charge, the amazing Paphos Classic Vehicle Club offers a classic car trip four times a year and for younger cancer patients we pay for them and a family member to have an afternoon pass at the Leonardo Laura water park. 
Now, thanks to the support from the Pafos Regional Board of Tourism, we have extended the Care Days offer throughout Cyprus with some free or discounted rooms being offered, off season, by various hotels in Paphos, allowing cancer patients  from outside the Paphos area to enjoy the beauty that Paphos has to offer as well as the opportunity of a free of charge Care Day!
Less then 2 years ago we were approached by a generous group of business men, the Winkles, who wanted to pay for Dreams for terminal or double cancer patients and their support has led to us making 47 Dreams come true so far, from sending a terminal patient to the UK to play a last game of golf with his son, to trips to Chania Crete, to wing walking, to flying relatives over to see their loved ones with cancer, to dinners out, seafront weekend breaks. Whatever their Dream is, Care Days can make it come true up to Eu 250. In South Africa, the first three Dreams we granted, one to a terminally ill patient, were all to help others. A 19 year old girl wanted a bed as she is sharing her bed with her grandmother and child, another wanted to buy supplies for her village, another wanted to go on a course to enable her to get a job, to help her look after her son. We also are sending several couples for a 2 day break at a magnificent seaview house, thanks to the generosity of the owner offering us a reduction. 
Being able to offer Dreams to cancer patients was always a dream of mine, but I did not have the funds available until the Winkles made it possible. Because of the success of our Dreams programme, we are now a fully registered not for profit company, allowing us to accept donations and organise money making events for the benefit of cancer patients.
I believe that one of the reasons we have received such support is that the three of us are all volunteers, we are all unpaid, and apart from design and website we do not have any expenses as all foreign trips we make are paid for 100 % by ourselves, so that ALL the money we raise goes to help cancer patients and towards minimal but necessary print and advertising costs. 
Our 1000km fun walk was very well supported by 200 walkers in conjunction with Friends’ Hospice and CPSG, as we believe that Cyprus charities helping cancer patients should work together. 
Finally, our cooperation with the 93 year old Cancer Association of South Africa, CANSA , has been not only a humbling experience for us, but has been life changing for the 200 plus patients who we have looked after with Care Days and equally life changing for us being in the fortunate position of being able to help cancer patients in South Africa, some of whom live on or near the poverty line. Here again we have been helped by the Pretenders Golf Society, and by two wonderful supporters who walked 85kms for us in the UK and raised 1000 pounds, plus our own personal donations to this amazing cooperation.
CANSA has become like family to many cancer patients in S Africa and we have been very fortunate to have become a part of it and to cooperate with such devoted and generous people working with CANSA.”
Please read below to see what else is happening in Cyprus and South Africa:
Thanks to the generosity of G.L.I. Ioannides Honda, Care Days has been able to offer two cancer patients on my ward, a voucher for the lovely Namaste Indian restaurant.
The authorities have, for some reason, taken away the comfortable reclining chairs in our oncology ward and replaced them with very hard stainless steel ones. Since many of us have to sit on them for two hours Jenny suggested that we bought some cushions and Printology kindly printed them for us free of charge! These have been very well received!

Next month we will be announcing the offers available to cancer patients at the beautiful Shambala beachfront cottage in Pomos, the lovely bungalow with pool in Pachna, and a superb seaview penthouse in Malta.
A big thank you to the Paphos Post and Cy Living for their support of Care Days, without which we would never have achieved the success that we have done. Thanks also to Viva FM and Helen and Charles Salon. 
Thank you to all those generous sponsors who have sponsored our 1000 km., shirts or a Dream in memory of a loved one. If you feel able to do this please contact Andrew on caredayscyprus@aol.com
Yet again we had a wonderful sunset classic car experience thanks to the Paphos Classic Vehicle Club , many of whose members turned up after a full day at a car show in Geroskipou to take out a further 16 cancer patients, or those bereaved through cancer. This was so very generous of them and the smiles on everyone’s faces showed how much their gesture was appreciated. 
We had, as always, some amazing cars, from an Aston Martin DB9, Vauxhall Cresta, Bentley, Rolls Royce, Mgb roadster, Lotus Elan,  Mazda MX5, Jaguar XJS, to no less than 2 cars, an Austin 7 and a Morris 10/4 saloon, that are nearly 90 years old!
This has become one of our favourite Care Days for cancer patients as it is a unique experience to be able to enjoy these magnificent classic cars.

Focus on South Africa
“Care Days has become the magic WORD at  CANSA, because they create Magic!” Abeda Steenkamp,Social Services Manager CANSA 
The cooperation between CANSA and Care Days has been an amazing success story, with over 200 Care Days offered since they launched less than 1 year ago.
This is a remarkable achievement by any standards as Dorothy the manager, Abeda and Gretchen and all their volunteers are organising Care Days as well as doing the vital work they do for cancer patients in the Cape Region of South Africa. We were so lucky that God guided us to this amazing cancer Charity just last year. 
In April, they hit the jackpot when they took 80 patients out to a lovely beach for a Care Day, organised all the transport, lunch and even a laughter therapy session. To hear all these lovely patients laughing their heads off in the face of cancer was a total joy and Jenny and I have ensured that we will personally support CANSA/Care Days in the future, as the results, in terms of tears of joy from the cancer patients, have been so remarkable. We are privileged to have built up this relationship with CANSA and their patients in South Africa and are already planning what else we can do for them next year, as so much less buys so much more in South Africa
Of course there are sad stories as well, and some patients have sadly lost their battle with cancer, so our thoughts are with their loved ones, friends and family.
Recently we received the news that this lovely little girl of 14,Chante Migel was diagnosed with liver cancer on Christmas Day and is now undergoing chemotherapy. Hopefully we will have the opportunity to make a Dream come true for her as she was too ill to come on the boat trip we all enjoyed in February.

“ Nothing like this has ever happened to us before. Thank you for the amazing day. May God bless you and keep you safe.” Love Glenda and Kyle❤️
Care Days ……Live the Dream
International Care Days 4U Ltd. Reg # HE 466660

LIVING WITH CANCER
A positive view by Andrew Lauder, Founder of Care Days

For me, the diagnosis of cancer was the worst thing about it.
The fear of the unknown, of the after effects of the therapy, of life expectancy, of telling friends and family.
I was lucky, because of four events at that time.
My GP told me that I would be OK because I was always positive and I have noticed since, from talking to so many Care Days patients, that those patients who stay positive do the best .
I had four melanomas, so it was fairly inevitable that one of them would metastasise, which it did into lungs and chest, so in a way I expected it.
Mine was diagnosed quickly. I cannot overemphasize the importance of getting a diagnosis early….. it can save your life.
However what helped me the most is this remarkable fourth dimension experience.
I love the sea, so after diagnosis before telling anyone else, I went for a long walk along the coastal path. Head bowed, shoulders hunched … a picture of misery.
Suddenly, I got hit by a wave, not from the sea, but from deep inside me. It started in my stomach and went all the way up to my head and suddenly….I just knew that I was going to be OK, and I started a smile that has rarely left me since.
I am sure I was touched by an angel that day.
A reporter asked me two years ago, if I would have started Care Days if I had not had cancer and I felt ashamed to admit that I probably would not have done. God works in mysterious ways and now I am so glad that having cancer myself has led me, Jenny and Charlotte into setting up Care Days, which has now looked after over 500 cancer patients, their relatives and those bereaved through cancer, thanks to the generosity of the businesses and individuals in Paphos who have supported us.
We all knew when we set it up that Care Days would change the lives of cancer patients in Cyprus by giving them something to look forward to and back on with such pleasure and to give them a break from the interminable treadmill of blood tests, scans, doctor’s appointments and cancer therapy in its many forms.
All the money we raise goes to support Care Days cancer patients as we are unpaid volunteers.
What we never realized until we read the testimonials was just how important this was to become to Care Days patients. It was only when we went to launch Care Days in South Africa and saw the tears of joy and experienced the hugs of gratitude, that Jenny and I realized quite how much it had also changed our lives, being in a position to do something special for other cancer patients many of whom are living near the poverty line.
Jenny’s husband died of a very painful cancer shortly followed by her daughter, and Charlotte has also experienced cancer, so the three of us as non paid Executive Directors of Care Days are well placed to help others.
We met two ladies in South Africa, Glenda and Soraya, who said what we thought was a strange thing.
“I am glad I had cancer.” But talking to them they said “Cancer has taught me to live life to the fullest and to live life every day and to know who your real friends are. There is more to come. “
What a positive point of view which I can now understand better.
There are four ways to deal with cancer.
1. You can be in total denial, refuse to believe that you have cancer and not talk about it to anyone.
2. You can decide that you will deal with it yourself, not discuss it with anyone else, go through the therapy and move on with your life.
3. If you have a terminal diagnosis, a friend of mine had tertiary cancer and was given 15 months. She decided not to have any more treatment, never to see another oncologist or any more tests. This was a brave decision and in her case it worked, as she bought a new car, went on holidays with her husband and lived a full life for a further 5 years. Care Days is not recommending this course of action, merely repeating what happened.
4. Finally, you can take the approach that I took. I told all my friends and family, thereby gaining their support and was happy to talk openly about cancer, calling it Gertrude so as to avoid the use of that fearful word and making us all smile. Because I always felt very rough after immunotherapy every 3 weeks for 2 years, I told all my friends when I was having therapy so that they knew I would not be available. It worked great for me.
In South Africa it is shocking to hear how many cancer patients have had family walk away, because they have cancer, at a time they need them most.
Also, I found that however bad I sometimes felt, just looking around the ward made me realize that there are many people a lot worse than myself, which is really how Care Days started.
There is no right or wrong way to deal with cancer as it depends on you as an individual. I do remember not telling my son until I knew exactly what the prognosis was and what the therapy would be. That was not necessarily the best way to deal with it…… as he told me!
The main way to beat the monster that is cancer or Gertrude or whatever you choose to call it is to stay POSITIVE, not to give in to it and to laugh in its face.
We are so very lucky in the Paphos Region to have such great oncology Centres where patients are cared for with humour, compassion and professionalism and not as a battery chicken with a number.
If anyone wishes to talk to me about cancer and share your worries or enjoy a Care Day or Dream, please contact me on caredayscyprus@aol.com
If you have lost a child or partner through cancer, please contact my partner Jenny on the same email address.
Care Days offers 10 options of completely free of charge treats in Paphos to anyone diagnosed with cancer anywhere in Cyprus, plus we have made 47 Dreams come true worth Eu 250 each in less than 2 years, for terminal and secondary cancer patients and couples where both partners have been diagnosed with cancer and those going through a particularly hard time.
Thank you to the wonderful companies who are supporting cancer patients here and in South Africa, where we are fortunate to cooperate with the amazing 93 year old Cancer Charity CANSA.
Care Days …..Live the Dream
www.caredayscyprus.com
Registered not for profit co: International Care Days 4U Ltd. #HE466660

11/4/2025

A huge thank you to all the participants and supporters of the Care Days 5km Marathon held on Sunday, 9th March. It was an incredible day full of energy and heart, all for an amazing cause! The marathon raised much-needed funds for Care Days, Breast of Friends, Cancer Patients Support Group Paphos, and Friends' Hospice Paphos. These organizations provide invaluable support and care to those in need, and your generosity will help them continue their essential work.

Special thanks to Gayle Bevan for capturing the spirit of the event through her stunning photography. Her images truly bring to life the dedication and passion shown by everyone involved.

Together, we are making a difference! Thank you to everyone who participated, donated, and helped raise awareness for these wonderful causes.

Please click on the below photos to enlarge: 

The Paphos Classic Vehicle Club have kindly organised 30 cars ranging from a 1935 Morris to 2 Rolls Royce and a Bentley, Ferrari, Daimler Dart, Jeep, Lotus, Mx5, MG Saab, Zephyr, Alfa and Aston Martin DB 9 to name but a few which will be available to take cancer patients for a drive and experience the thrill of their lifetime.

Please note that initially you will not be given a choice of car as it depends on availability but you will be given a choice for your second wonderful classic car experience.  So you will experience two different classic vehicles in a duration of approximately 2 hours.

26/2/2025

Michael’s CARE DAYS Double Marathon.
On February 15th on a cold day in the UK Michael Parsons  ran a Double Marathon  and raised 1000 pounds for CANSA Care Days S Africa! What a great sacrifice and effort to help others.
1000 km. marathon.
Care Days set a very ambitious target of walking 1000kms, but in fact we are going to do even better than that, thanks to our Care Days Team and TLC, and our wonderful partners in this adventure, CPSG/Breast of Friends and The Friends’ Hospice, all of us working together to help cancer patients.
With Michael running 85kms on February 15th to help CANSA/CARE DAYS SOUTH AFRICA and also bringing over a team of 5 from the UK  for March 9th,and The Team GB over 40s ladies basketball team who are running as part of their training session in the UK, 2 UK ladies who are running the half marathon for us here and Decorator Dave who is running 10kms…….we expect to reach 1080kms!!
Each of the three charities has fielded a team bigger than last year so thanks to our supporters, Charlotte, Sue Currie and helpers, and the shops and managers at The Friend’s Hospice.
We really are taking part in an historical and fun event and I feel so proud at the response, particularly the two patients in my oncology ward who are walking with me just 2 days after our therapy.
Thank you, thank you, thank you all and to our wonderful sponsors!
If you have friends who would like to join us, without the shirts as they have now been ordered, that is fine, we just ask them to fill in a sponsor form and let us know in advance.
Dave from Viva fm is hoping to do a live broadcast from the start which we hope to link into our friends and patients in S Africa!
We will have a memorable morning!
After 3 successful Care Days rides last year and with daylight becoming more favourable to us, the Paphos Classic Vehicle Club has very kindly planned for our first 'sunset' ride to Ag. Giorgios on Saturday April 12th, departing at 18.00 from the Meraki Market Cafe opposite St. George Beach Hotel. These fabulous classic car rides have become one of the most well attended Care Days and as always there will be a great choice of classic cars and some exciting first time entries:
Mercedes W123, Vauxhall Cresta, 1972 Mustang convertible, 1935 Ford Y hotrod convertible, Porsche Taycan turbo S, Bentley?, MGB Roadster, Austin 7, Lotus Elan, Mazda Mx5, Jaguar XJS, Morris 10/4 Aston  Martin DB9. Wow!
If you have been diagnosed with cancer in Cyprus or bereaved through cancer please apply on our booking form on www.caredayscyprus.com
Please remember that Care Days is now available to cancer patients across Cyprus thanks to help from the Pafos Regional Board of Tourism with various lovely hotels, the Athena Beach, Anemi Hotel Suites and Mayfair Hotel in Paphos, each offering off season free of charge accommodation in Paphos, so that patients can enjoy a Care Day or Dream here free of charge.
For our Dreams programme we can now include, off season, the beachfront cottage in Pomos, a lovely house with pool in Pachna and a beautiful seaview penthouse in Malta. For more details please contact us.
FOCUS ON S. AFRICA
“Things like this never happen to people like us. Thank you Care Days.” Kyle aged 16
When Jenny and I first visited South Africa a year ago at our own expense and met up with CANSA we knew that we had chosen the right partners because the people there were so caring and understood immediately what Care Days was offering.
Sadly, it did not start well as the winter weather was appalling, stopping all outdoor activities to the extent that there were fish swimming down the main railway line at Cape Town station!
However CANSA which has been going for nearly 100 years persevered and managed to offer 84 Care Days in the last 6 months.
When we visited them in February we had the great privilege of taking 50 cancer patients out for Care Days and giving Dreams to a further 16.
I am not ashamed to admit that as some of them were palliative and others short term terminal we were worried if we had the strength to stay cheerful in front of them, but it was their super positive attitude, laughing in the face of cancer that made it easy for us.
We went to S.Africa knowing that what we could offer would change many patients’ lives, but what we discovered is that meeting them changed our lives in a way that we never expected.
This is their story ………………..
Firstly we were invited to do a 20 minute interview on a popular Radio  programme in a strongly Muslim area and what a joy it was, particularly when our lovely interviewer had a tear in her eyes at the end!
Then we had the pleasure of hosting a party for 26 at the 5 star seafront President Hotel. I was sitting at the table and suddenly tears came into my eyes when I realised that EVERYONE was laughing and I could tell from looking at Jenny that she felt it too. It was as though they were all enjoying themselves so much that they were laughing in the face of cancer.
We thought that this was a small thing to do for a Care Day but for the patients and the volunteers it meant the world to them.
One lovely lady, small in stature but huge in spirit was told that she had weeks to live so she organised her own funeral and chose the flowers, then decided that she wasn’t going to die so she cancelled it! The smile on her face as she told the story lit up the room.
More joy was yet to come when we took four patients to one side to tell them that we were making their Dream come true. Their tears of joy were in some cases unstoppable, possibly because in two cases having cancer had lost them their family and it was only CANSA and now to a lesser extent Care Days that were holding them together. It seems impossible for us to imagine that this can happen but in one case after a double mastectomy the husband started abusing the wife as he said that she was no longer a woman. The tears she shed in the arms of her son said otherwise.
No less than four of the patients we met had lost their family because they, the mothers, had cancer and it is CANSA who now has taken over the place of their family. For us to have been allowed and welcomed into this privileged position was a humbling and sublime joy, which we can only liken to how it must feel to achieve a higher level of Nirvana.
Whichever God one believes in, and there were many different religions and colours at our events, his presence was most certainly there.
To be hugged by these beautiful people was a joy and a pleasure that will never be deleted from our memory and really was life changing for us, as was the relationship between the CANSA carers and the patients, which patients  luckily also experience in Cyprus from oncology nurses, specialists and carers.
What was also moving was the fact that three out of these Dreams  benefitted others not just themselves, yet some of them had very little.
The first one, Weedaath, said she would spend a Eu50 to buy food, cook and give back to the community.Eu100 she would save so that she has monies if an emergency arises, and Eu 100 she would invest in buying products for the beauty therapy treatments  that she offers as a profession. She believes  "It takes a village to raise a child". Her words when we told her that we were giving her a Dream were ”Now I can do so much more to help others who have cancer.”
Glenda’s wish is to be able to invest  in a programme/module  course that will give her the opportunity to empower/and upskill herself  so that she can find suitable employment and look after her son.
Soraya told us she would like to go on a spiritual  journey to thank God for her good health, so she would invest that money towards her trip.
19 year old LeeVandre with a dangerous thyroid cancer wanted us to buy a bed so that her mother could sleep on her own allowing her to sleep with her 3 month old baby . At present all three of them share a bed.
We also took a mother and son on a shopping expedition and know that we have started a long term friendship with them both, to the extent that together with CANSA we are looking at personally paying for extra tuition in maths for her son so that if he gets good A level grades he may be able to go to college or university.
After that, thanks to the generosity of the owner Jean Paul, we offered 5 patients, one in palliative care, the chance to spend 2 days off season at the beautiful seaview Fulham Villa in Camps Bay where we stayed.
Also the seafront room we had in The Wilderness has been offered at a discount for 2 day stays thanks to Rita and Danny . Rich or poor, the seaviews from these properties so generously offered by the owners will enhance the lives of more cancer patients in the coming months, just as Shambala and The Annabelle has done in Cyprus.
Finally we took 24 patients on a lovely 66ft catamaran round Table Bay. Some of them had never seen the sea or been to the lovely Waterfront development and as was the case for the party we held, many travelled for nearly two hours each way, organised by CANSA.
We were lucky enough to see lots of seals and it was a beautiful day.
Here again, the overwhelming feeling on the boat was one of happiness and laughter and the sight of everyone of all ages happily joining in the Macarena dance in a conga at the end of the trip will long stay in our memories.
We have given away 50 Care Days here  and made 14 Dreams come true. Such a beautiful and humbling experience to be able to help so many. Indescribable. Tears of joy from them all.
Jenny and I have made a personal commitment to send over several thousand Euros personally every year to insure continuity. This together with Michael’s double marathon donations, the  Pretenders golf society at Aphrodite Hills and donations from others who wish to support South Africa, will give a quadrupling of the funds given last year .
“Dear Andrew and Jenny, thank you for bringing the rainbow of love and hope to these amazing survivors, who feel so blessed and touched by Care Days gesture, they cannot stop expressing their gratitude to you and Jenny for enriching their lives in such an amazing way. God bless you both and may the Care Day legacy grow from strength to strength and touch the lives of many more.”Abeda S. Social Services Manager CANSA
Care Days International 4 U Ltd. CO.reg# HE 466660
Care Days…. Live the Dream

29/1/2025

HAVE YOU BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH TERMINAL CANCER ? IF SO CARE DAYS WILL MAKE A DREAM COME TRUE FOR YOU!

There are so many options available to you to share with loved ones. So far Care Days have granted 44 Dreams to terminal or secondary cancer patients or those who have been diagnosed with cancer as well as their partners.
These are all offered completely free of charge up to €250 thanks to our wonderful donors, sponsors and support in our 1000km fun walk.
However we urge you to contact us as soon after your diagnosis as possible so that we are better able to help you.
Care Days was recently approached by a friend of a terminal cancer patient and we organised a mini bus which would take a wheelchair for a day pass for two at The Annabelle.
We have sent patients to Crete, to Denmark, to the UK and in Cyprus, and are looking forward to seeing the wing walking photos in June!
Please look at our testimonials and you will understand that Care Days Dreams really do change lives by giving cancer patients something to look forward to and back on with pleasure.
Although January is normally a quiet month we have given 2 secondary cancer patients with bone cancer a 6 month pass at the lovely King Evelthon Hotel indoor pool, thanks to the generosity of the General Manager.
We started our “Sponsor a Dream in memory of a loved one” campaign in The Paphos Post, Cyprus Living and Viva fm and are so grateful for the media support that they give Care Days.
So far this year 4 generous sponsors have sponsored a Dream and one of them said :
“It Is a New Year, I am in remission and I want to give something back to help others."
MR C
Also we were very touched to receive a most generous donation of €500 from Blevins Franks Charitable Foundation, which will buy nearly 3 Dreams!

OUR GREAT HOSPITALS TREAT CANCER PATIENTS.
CARE DAYS GIVE CANCER PATIENTS TREATS

Our aim is to encourage cancer patients across Cyprus to visit Paphos for a Care Day or a Dream, to spend a night or two at an hotel offering a reduced rate, room upgrade or free of charge rooms off season, then to enjoy the beauty that Paphos has to offer. So far very kind offers have been made by the Annabelle Hotel, Constantinou Bros Athena Beach Hotel, Anemi Hotel Suites, and Mayfair Hotel and of course the beautiful Pachna and Shambala houses and a seaview penthouse in Malta!
How blessed we are to be offered these amazing options free of charge for anyone in Cyprus who has been diagnosed with cancer in the last 3 years and the support we have received from the Pafos Regional Board of Tourism has been so much appreciated.
In January a patient who is recovering from cancer is having her hair treated by Markos at Markos MY Hair Salon. This is a very popular Care Day as chemo affects so many ladies and we are very grateful to Markos and Beauty Salon by Elena, for their continued support.
Our new leaflet now offers 10 Care Days options thanks to the generosity of our sponsors:
The amazing and friendly Markos MY Hair offers a professional hair shampoo and treatment in its super modern salon. There you are treated like family.
Beauty Salon by Elena, attached to Markos MY Hair Salon, has had a complete makeover and looks amazing, and offers a beautifully relaxing full or partial body massage and is happy to take your bookings for a Care Day pampering session, through our Care Days website.
Both the above have lovely premises near Chlorakas and the offer is for a cancer patient or someone recently bereaved through cancer.
The lovely Elysia Breeze champagne breakfast for two has been very popular for cancer patients and those bereaved through cancer, offering a patient and friend or carer, the opportunity of a champagne(Cava) breakfast surrounded by water fountains.
The beautiful 5 star Annabelle Hotel is available for Care Days bookings for a FREE day pass for a cancer patient and friend, relative or carer, or someone recently bereaved through cancer, either inside the spa or outside by the pool with an €15 voucher each for you to spend as you wish.
The 5 Star King Evelthon Hotel has kindly offered use of its indoor pool and sauna.
The Sea Caves Restaurant and Bar offers anyone diagnosed with cancer in the last 3 years plus a partner or carer, or anyone recently bereaved through cancer plus a friend, one free drink overlooking what must be one of the finest seaviews in Cyprus with sunsets thrown in as well!
In summer, Care Days will still be offering to children with cancer an afternoon pass at the fabulous Leonardo Laura Splash Water Park for one child with cancer (over the age of 6) plus one parent.
Thanks to Dominique Kana, Tai Chi sessions are offered every Friday morning.
Thanks to professional photographer Gayle Bevan, cancer patients have the opportunity to have a family photo taken.
Our most recent Care Day is the generous and exciting offer from the Paphos Classic Vehicle Club to organize regular classic car trips to cancer patients, their partners and those bereaved through cancer. This has proved most popular and will start again in the Spring.
We have given Dreams or a Care Day to over 330 patients!
Last month we talked about the appointment of our first Care Days ambassador, Karen, and we are looking for volunteers who are undergoing cancer treatment to spread the word for us about Care Days. Your help would be much appreciated, as with our very small unpaid team of three, we cannot do everything. Please write to Andrew on caredayscyprus@aol.com if you would like to be a volunteer.

We will be fielding a total team of 180 plus others who will enter after the cut off date which has now passed, but who will not be able to have a 1000km shirt. Entries available for all 3 charities up to March 6th.
Care Days ……………TOTAL 110
The largest team after the TLC who are very kindly taking part again this year with a great 24 walkers will be the Winkles beer cart team with more than double last year’s size and they will bring a lot of fun to our joint teams. Our numbers have been swelled by a great team from Kevin and Tracey, one of the brave patients on Andrew's oncology ward and from Helen and Charles hair salon, Top Quotes and Markos MY Hair. This is a fantastic effort by all our team as it is even bigger than last year, so thank you all for your support.
CPSG. Sue and helpers have done a great job again raising so many walkers, including a great team of 10 from Marry Me Cyprus.
Friends’ Hospice have worked hard to raise a great team through their shops and raised a very large amount last year from a small team.
The grand total walking is an amazing 173 walkers. With the 85kms being walked by Michael and Stephen’s team in the UK and a team being entered by the Team GB Ladies Basketball over 40s in the UK plus a few brave souls walking 10k and half marathons, we will reach our target of 1000kms!
Well done everyone and thank you on behalf of all three cancer charities. Your great efforts will make a difference to so many cancer patients through your favourite charity. It is a privilege to have all 3 teams working so closely together.
Remember we will be writing to you all end February about final arrangements which will include the 3 saxophonists from the TLC school who will be playing for us at the start!
If you think you would be able to act as Marshalls for us at the start to direct walkers to the registration desk and donations point, please contact us.

FOCUS ON S.AFRICA
Andrew and Jenny are flying to Cape Town February 1st to help their partner CANSA, founded in 1932.
We are looking forward to meeting the 3 ladies who we wrote about last year to talk about their Dreams and to talk to the lovely Lee Vandre, who at 19 has been given a terminal diagnosis and we will see what we can do to help her and her baby.
We also hope to take 30 patients on a 60ft catamaran round Table Bay and host a party for cancer patients at The President seafront hotel.
For us it will be a humbling experience to be able to do something positive for them all, which is why Jenny and I are personally donating £1500 sterling to CANSA/Care Days on top of the 1300 US dollars already donated by TOM Schnitzius from the USA, €1000 from The Pretenders golf team and a further £1000 from Michael and Stephen’s team.
Because we are so pleased with our co-operation with CANSA and the extra effort that their staff have put in to make Care Days Dreams a success for S.Africa, with 84 Dreams offered in the last 6 months, we have been able to quadruple the amount we donated in 2024. This amount of money can have a life changing effect on their cancer patients, where so much less can buy so much more.

We look forward to telling our story and their story, when we return.

Care Days ……Live the Dream

Exciting Read Alert!

We’re thrilled to share that Cyprus Mail has published a wonderful article in celebration of Care Days! The piece dives into a heartwarming journey, showcasing the dreams and dedication behind the initiative.

You can read the full article here: The Dreams Began in Paphos

Take a moment to check it out and get inspired by the incredible work that’s being done! 

The dreams began in Paphos... | Cyprus Mail

CLICK HERE

Wishing all of you a very happy Christmas and most of all a healthy New Year!

This year, yet again, instead of sending cards, we are making a donation to pay to make yet another Dream come true for a terminally ill cancer patient.

Our Care Days cancer charity has exceeded all expectations and is now a registered not for profit company as we take not a penny from whatever we raise.

Here is a copy of the Christmas edition Paphos Post newspaper, which will keep you fully up to date on the great progress that we have made in Cyprus and South Africa this year, click to enlarge:

Join the Fun!!

Join the Care Days 1000km team fun walk for cancer patients!
Don’t panic, you only have to walk 5kms each!
Join the Fun with a 5k Fun walk & enjoy the atmosphere of the 27th Logicom Paphos marathon as a spectator on:
Sunday 9th March 2025
to support your choice of four great cancer support organisations: Care Days and Care Days Dreams, 
The Friend’s Hospice, or Cancer Patient’s Support Group supported by Breast of Friends.
This will be an historical event with 200 walkers each walking 5kms along the beautiful coastal path towards the harbour and back, instead of on the main road past the Mall, making us all part of the Care Days  1000km cancer charities fun walk!
THIS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF 24 MARATHONS‼
BE A PART OF THIS TEAM!

This time it will be different as we are not going to be part of the Logicom marathon for the 5k as the organisers are having the 5k on the Saturday, but with the 10k, half and full marathon on the Sunday, we feel that the atmosphere will not be the same, so we are organising our own 5k Fun Walk on the Sunday.

This means you can walk down the stunning coastal path to the harbour and enjoy the great atmosphere of the Logicom Marathon then walk back when you feel like it to our start/finish line.

Because we will not be paying the €20 group registration fees plus extra for the bespoke shirts, the four cancer charities will make more money, we will start at 10:00am so it is not such an early start, there will be no problem finding a parking space from where we start on the coastal path by the Kefalos Beach Village gazebo opposite the Elysium Hotel and you will all receive a bespoke t- shirt. Plus it will be a much more scenic route than the 5k in previous years.

Not only have the TLC School kindly agreed to put in a larger team, but The Winkles and their famous beer cart will be returning with a bigger team to support Care Days Dreams across Cyprus as will supporters from all 4 cancer charities.

So please try to register your own team, or as an individual, so we can achieve the 1000kms!

Thanks to Charlotte, from Charlotte Graphic Designer, she has sourced bespoke t-shirts with sponsors' names on them, who will cover the cost of advertising so that the money you donate will go to helping whichever of the 4 cancer charities you choose to support.

We need the applications in by mid January please which is why we are starting now.

If you wish to be competitive and run the 10k, HALF or FULL MARATHON , you will then be a part of the Logicom marathon with timing and  a medal and pay their registration fees, but with our own 1000km. shirts and we will organise this all for you as part of the 1000km. cancer support team

Please raise a Minimum €40 sponsorship from each walker, for the 5k Fun Walk.

Or…….. run the 10k €30 plus €30  Logicom registration fee, half marathon €30 plus €45 Logicom registration fee or full marathon €30 plus €60 Logicom registration fee.

Whatever you achieve, be a hero for a morning and do something really great for those who are less fortunate than ourselves.

As Care Days Administrator Charlotte is kindly managing all the registrations, please select from the buttons below for a Walker and Sponsorship Form of WHICH CHARITY YOU WISH TO SUPPORT.

Invite friends to join your team so you can raise more money and email the Walker Form to us or returned to the charity shop, by mid January.  ALL the money you and your team raise will go to one of the four Charities that YOU specify and you will pay them directly on the race day once you have collected your sponsorship money in advance with each walker having their own sponsor form.

Whichever individual raises the greatest amount of sponsorship money for any Charity will receive a bottle of Champagne donated by the Care Days Dream Team.

Thank you.

Care Days Dreams, The Friend’s Hospice, Cancer Patient’s Support Group and Breast of Friends.

Download the
CARE DAYS
sponsor form pdf below:

Download the
BREAST OF FRIENDS
sponsor form pdf below:

Download the
CANCER PATIENTS SUPPORT GROUP
sponsor form pdf below:

Download the
FRIENDS HOSPICE
sponsor form pdf below:

Download the
CARE DAYS
walker form pdf below:

Download the
BREAST OF FRIENDS 
walker form pdf below:

Download the
CANCER PATIENTS SUPPORT GROUP
walker form pdf below:

Download the
FRIENDS HOSPICE
walker form pdf below: