Amani Vineyards situated in the Stellenbosch winelands has set aside R1 for the past 18 months for every bottle of Chardonnay sold, as a donation to the Breast Clinic at Tygerberg Hospital in Bellville.

Every month at least 30 women are diagnosed with breast cancer at Tygerburg’s Breast Clinic and 70% of them have very little or no income what so ever. Government does cover treatment costs, but transport costs to and from the hospital for their radiotherapy sessions often become a heavy barrier.

Lynde and Rusty Myers from Amani Vineyards spoke to Professor Justus Apffelstaedt, FCS (S.A.) and his team at the Breast Clinic at Tygerberg Hospital and thereafter decided that they will lend a helping hand and pledge to help breast cancer patients get to the hospital for their treatment. To date they have donated a remarkeble R27 808.  This is a result of Chardonnay sold both locally and further a field, including Japan, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, the United States and Canada.

Originally from Oklahoma, the Myers family bought Amani Vineyards in Stellenbosch in 2002.  They’ve been passionate and successful players in the wine industry ever since. When asked why they had decided to support the Breast Cancer Clinic at Tygerberg Hospital in particular, Lydne said “my mother, Jo-Anne Atkinson, experienced breast cancer first-hand about a decade ago, and she is with us today because of that first mammogram.  We want to do our bit to make sure that indigent South African women have access to breast cancer treatment and think this is a wonderful way to give back to a community that has become so pivotal to our lives since we moved to South Africa in 2002. It’s about getting resources to the right people.  It’s about love.”

When Professor Apffelstaedt accepted the cheque from Amani Vineyards he said, “on behalf of the Breast Clinic at Tygerberg Hospital I extend a huge thank you to Lynde and Rusty Myers and the rest of the Amani team. I hope this is the beginning of a fruitful collaboration that will be a welcome relief of the burden that these unfortunate women have to bear.”

A true heart warming initiative which is inspirational for us all and just proves once again how something small can make a big difference in the lives of others.

In the photo: Handing over the cheque – Kenzie Myers, , Lynde Myers, Professor Apffelstaedt, Rusty Myers.