In 2023, Hot Cares was deeply moved by the extraordinary bond between a young boy named Joey and his beloved rescue dog, Max. At the time, Joey was just 11 and living with autonomic dysfunction—a rare condition that disrupts how his brain communicates with his body. It meant daily medical interventions, frequent infections, and an uncertain future.

But Joey wasn’t facing it alone. By his side was Max, a loyal Labrador mix who had begun instinctively alerting the family when Joey was unwell. “Max even alerted us before Joey had symptoms,” recalls Alison, Joey’s mom. “He once helped us catch a fever before any of us realised what was going on.”

With encouragement from their vet and neurologist, the family knew Max needed proper training as a medical assistance dog—but the cost was out of reach. That’s where Hot Cares stepped in. Thanks to your Teddython donations, Hot Cares funded Max’s 18-month professional training, provided a year’s worth of food, and even helped Joey celebrate his 12th birthday with a PlayStation voucher and a party.

Today, Max is a certified medical alert dog. “He goes to the exact part of Joey’s body where something is wrong,” Alison says. “He’ll growl, bark, even get into bed with Joey. It sounds strange, but we know it’s time to rest when Max starts acting up.”

The result? More trust. More peace. And a deeper bond. “I feel like our bond’s grown a lot stronger,” Joey says quietly. His older brother Tyler agrees: “We can really trust Max now. He knows what Joey’s going through—even when Joey doesn’t.”

“Hot Cares didn’t just help us,” says Alison. “They changed our lives.”

The N3 Volunteers – Human Beacons of Trust

That same instinct to protect lives drives a remarkable group of volunteers who serve on the N3 highway — South Africa’s busiest and most dangerous stretch of road during peak travel seasons. They are doctors, paramedics, trauma counsellors, and rescue technicians who give their time and skills — unpaid — to be the first on the scene when disaster strikes.

During Easter and long weekends, they deploy to areas like Van Reenen’s Pass and Warden, where emergency services are thin, distances are long, and response time means the difference between life and death. “They don’t wait for someone else to respond — they show up, and they save lives,” says Hot Cares.

In 2025, thanks to your donations, Hot Cares fully funded their Easter deployment: fuel, accommodation, meals, and servicing of the Jaws of Life — totalling R36,000. That meant more lives reached faster, more trauma eased, and more families spared heartbreak.

“This is our biggest deployment since before COVID,” the team shared. “And we couldn’t do it without help.”

Hot Cares steps in for Christy and 147 vulnerable residents

Hot Cares is also proud to have supported Christy, a brave hairdresser whose cancer treatment left her in daily pain. We covered her consultation and medical supplies, restoring comfort and dignity.

At the Avril Elizabeth Home, which cares for 147 residents with intellectual and physical disabilities, we partnered with the DisChem Foundation to fund flour for their bakery, hygiene products, and critical medical treatment.

Because when we come together, lives change.