Meet the Team

Our Patron

It is an honour to be to be associated with the vital work of the BigShoes Foundation. We all feel special concern for the rights of children, and especially for those young people who are marginalized and vulnerable in our country. BigShoes brings a vision and a mission that helps us do something constructive. Its superb team provides health care interventions for vulnerable children. They ensure quality of life by reducing suffering and improving health. And they give vital back-up to children’s caregivers. Please support BigShoes – click the link on this page that tells you how.

CEO, Clinical Director and WC Regional Manager: Dr Michelle Meiring
 

Michelle is a Paediatrician by profession with a passion for Palliative Care for children. She co-founded Bigshoes in 2002. She is an honorary lecturer in the Department of Palliative Medicine at the University of Cape Town and an active child health advocate. She heads up the Cape Town branches’ Paediatric Palliative Care team and is Bigshoes National Clinical Director.

KZN Regional Manager: Tracey Brand
Tracey has been with the KwaZulu-Natal Bigshoes team since the inception of the Durban project in May 2008. She is a social worker by profession and holds a Master of Social Work (Clinical Practice). Tracey oversees the running of the Durban Branch as well as assists with providing social work services in our paediatric palliative care programme

National Bookkeeper: Esther Bele
Esther joined Bigshoes in 2011 with previous experience in NGO finance. She brings with her a quiet passion to establish systems that support the good work done on the ground. She manages the national income and expenditures, gives input to financial management and board reports, as well as donor financial reports.

Senior Administrator: Maxine Fine
Maxine joined the Bigshoes team in June 2011 and has been a welcome addition. She comes with a wealth of experience as a librarian. She has a Higher Diploma in education and a Masters in Library Science. Maxine provides administrative and database support to the Head Office and Gauteng branch functions.

Palliative Specialist:                        Dr Louisa Ferreira
Louisa joined Bigshoes as a consultant doctor offering palliative care services. She now heads up the Palliative Care Team.  She consults once a week at Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, and the other days at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. She has Diplomas in Child Health and Palliative Medicine and is very passionate about vulnerable children.

Social Auxiliary Worker: Nonkosi Mteto
Nonkosi has been a part of the Gauteng team since 2008. She has received training as a home nurse and has gained her certificate in Social Auxiliary Work. She provides social support to the children and families from Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital and Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital

Driver and Surrogate Father: Lucky Malatji
Lucky joined the Bigshoes team in 2008 as a driver with a PPD licence. Recognising his potential and heart for children, he has attended further training on basic child health and play, to stimulate development. He transports patients and families and spends valuable time with the children.

Clinic Manager: Sr Kay McCrindle
Kay joined Bigshoes in 2006. She is qualified as a Nurse and Social Worker and as such has provided invaluable input to both the Adoption Clinic and PPC teams. She provides administrative and nursing support to the clinic; she is the supervisor of the Social Auxiliary Workers; and she serves on the board of the Children’s Memorial Institute.

Paediatrician: Dr Janet Lumb
Janet came on as a sessional paediatrician in 2004 to assist with the medicals necessary for adoption. She is passionate about providing meticulous reports to facilitate permanent placements for vulnerable children. She is known for her ability to assess the age and development level of children.

Cleaner: Thandi Sibindi
Thandi joined the Bigshoes Foundation in 2007. She ensures that the offices are always welcoming for those who come to visit and see the doctor. She is also integral in making sure that all that is needed for the clinic to run is provided. Thandi works with extreme dedication in support of all that Bigshoes does.

Nurse Trainer: Sr Daryl Jennings
Daryl has been a long- standing member of the Bigshoes team and has been instrumental in designing and implementing the training programme. She brings a wealth of experience as a community health nurse and facilitates the Bigshoes training on CPR and first aid with great passion and energy.

Palliative Specialist: Dr Julia Ambler
Julia is the Durban Team’s paediatric palliative care specialist as well as the medical clinics & outreach doctor and has been with the team since 2008. She holds a Diploma in Palliative Medicine from Cardiff University (Wales) and spent 6 years working at Helen & Douglas House – a children’s hospice in the United Kingdom. The knowledge Julia brings from her work there is invaluable as we establish palliative care services for children in KwaZulu- Natal.

Paediatrician: Dr Irena Karamon
Irena is a retired paediatrician who assists Julia in the running of our medical clinics & outreach. Originally from Poland, Irena spent 21 years working at McCord’s Hospital and after her retirement joined the Bigshoes Team. Her paediatric experience is vital in this component of our work.

Trainer: Hlengiwe Gumede
Hlengiwe has been with the Bigshoes Durban team since 2008. Her knowledge and experience ensures that the training component of our work is always relevant and exciting. She has a Social Science degree in Psychology and is accredited as an Assessor with HWSETA. Hlengiwe is well-known in the children’s homes and community-based organizations and is often called on to provide information to the caregivers.

Administrator: Sibella Dubber

Belma has been with Bigshoes since 2009. She ensure that the running of the clinics is efficient and all the children are followed up timeously by the doctors. She provides database support for the KwaZulu-Natal branch to ensure accurate reporting.

Paediatrician: Dr Lindsay Farrant
Lindsay is a Palliative Medicine Specialist who holds an MPhil degree in Palliative Medicine from the University of Cape Town. She has worked in Palliative Care in Ireland and was responsible for setting up a palliative care service for St Joseph’s hospital in Johannesburg under the auspices of Wits Palliative Care. Lindsay is the Medical Officer on the Cape Town PPC team and also lectures in the Palliative Medicine Department at UCT where she is responsible for the 6th year medical student training.

Nurse: Sr Alex Daniels
Alex is a registered nurse and complementary medicine practitioner with a Diploma in Palliative Medicine from the University of Cape Town. She has spent many years in the NGO sector working in the areas of wellness and bereavement. She is the Palliative Care nurse on the Cape Town PPC team and responsible for liaising with community based organisations to provide ongoing care at home for children discharged from hospital.