Testimonials

How blessed we have been to have had Roxanne Atkinson Occupational Therapy walk alongside us as we have journeyed with Aeryn's ocular challenges and resulting physical struggles... from being the first to identify her 'squint' to helping us find constructive, creative ways to help Aeryn reach the traditional milestones in untraditional ways, Roxanne you have been nothing short of a God send. Tomorrow is Aeryn's third birthday and having just had a swim with a happy, healthy, running, jumping, 36-piece puzzle building, Elsa-imitating, prancing, dancing, tutu-twirling little girl with 'almost' perfect eyesight, I can honestly say that Roxanne's practical, knowledgeable, loving input over the past couple of years has been an absolute gift.

- Sherinne Winderley

My journey with my child through OT, it really was amazing to learn with her and to see how she developed. To make it work, you must enjoy it and have fun with your child.

- Mother of four year old diagnosed with Developmental Delay

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What I liked about OT was the activities Roxi did with my son during each session- she made what was hard work fun. I also liked the follow-up activities that I did each week at home. I like the improvement my son achieved.

-Mother of five year old boy with difficulties with visual motor integration

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DR BLYTHE HARVEY

Victoria Hospital Wynberg

Medical Officer and Client

November 2014    

I first met Roxanne in February 2011 when she was the the head of the Occupational Therapy department and I was a Paediatric Medical Officer at Victoria Hospital. The doctors and OT’s worked very closely together in the Paediatric department and it was obvious that Roxanne was not only a very competent therapist but also showed a genuine love and care for her patients and their families. She is an approachable and compassionate person who goes the extra mile for the children she treats. Becoming a Mum herself only served to highlight and increase this compassion as I would find her helping mum’s with feeding or dressing their children. She has also assessed my own son on two occasions, one of these being in my own home, and I found the advice she gave me practical and encouraging. I would highly recommend her.

Dr Blythe Harvey ( MBChB(UCT), DCH (SA) )

SR JANE BOOTH

Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital

Creator of Tracheostomy and Ventilation Home Care Program

January 2015

To Whom it may Concern

Reference letter Roxanne Atkinson

I am writing this reference letter at the request of Roxanne Atkinson, born 13.12.1984, in my capacity as a registered nurse, midwife and advanced paediatric clinical nurse co-ordinating a tracheostomy and ventilation home care programme at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town. This is a paediatric tertiary care facility. My position at the hospital means that I work across disciplines of wards, ICU, out-patients and home care. Children in our service range over the entire socio-economic spectrum, but are mostly from disadvantaged families.
Roxanne graduated with BSc Occupational therapy from UCT in 2006, she did her community service and has done many post graduate special courses involving the care of children. These include advanced seating, neuro-developmental therapy for children with cerebral palsy and developmental neurology. She has worked in department of health, department of education, NGO and private sector.
Roxanne worked at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital between May 2009 to January 2011.

Roxanne was responsible for empowering and training mothers to care for their children so that they are able to reach their full potential. This empowerment of parents is not always easy, but it is something that Roxanne excelled at throughout her stay over many diagnoses and specialities, allowing children with acute and chronic diseases of childhood to reach their full potential.
She was able to refer patients appropriately to audiologists, optometrists, paediatric neurologists, clinic sisters, lactation consultants as she saw the need.

I worked with Roxanne as part of our team when she was caring for many of these specialist children. It is in this context that I was able to value her expertise and insight into the needs and rights of children in South Africa.

Roxanne is an energetic positive person who engages very well with staff and parents. Her clinical acumen is outstanding. She is a great encouragement to the home care programme as she has the insight and credibility to interact assertively and advocate for early discharge of children. She is compassionate and caring where there are times of high anxiety during stressful situations.

She has the ability to assign responsibilities, organise team members, mentor new staff while encouraging them and is therefore able to get valuable output from her team.

In conclusion, I would highly recommend Roxanne as a dependable, mature occupational therapist, with remarkable clinical acumen, a multidisciplinary team leader and teacher. Her intelligence, commitment and empathy to parents, children and the other members of the multi-disciplinary team are outstanding.

Yours truly,

Jane Booth RN RM APCN

Tygerberg Hospital    Paediatric Neurologist

To whom it may concern

LETTER OF REFERENCE FOR ROXANNE ATKINSON

During her two year stint at Red Cross Children’s Hospital, I worked with Roxanne in the Neurodevelopmental clinic, as well as certain in-patient wards. I was very impressed with Roxanne’s clinical excellence, her passion for occupational therapy, and her obvious love, concern and thoughtfulness for her patients. Her valuable insights and creative thinking were of immense value in multi-disciplinary case discussion meetings.

Roxanne always wanted the best for her patients, and was prepared to go the extra mile to help them achieve their potential, regardless of the obstacles in their path. This commitment, together with her creativity and clinical excellence, make her a potent therapist and resource for those seeking to nurture their child’s developmental potential.

Dr Andrew Redfern MPhil (DevPaeds) FCPaeds(SA) MRCPCH MBChB (UCT)

Senior Specialist: General Paediatrics

Ground Paediatric Ambulatory Care Unit, Tygerberg Children’s Hospital

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health | Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences | Stellenbosch University | PO Box 19063, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa

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