Caring Light, previously known as DEACSA (death education and counselling South Africa) founded by Jim Thorne jnr in 1995. It was registered with the South African Department of Social Welfare and Development as a Non Profit Organisation (reg. No. 013-907) since 2001.

Caring Light is committed to empower and support those who are faced with the challenges and opportunities of dying, death and grief. During the 13 years of its existence it helped develop and support over 7000 people who were faced with the diverse challenges of dying, death and grief in the South African context. Given its accomplishments and constant demands for its services it is clear that DEACSA fulfilled an essential role in helping others to cope with the devastation of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa.

Caring Light functions as a service provider to other service providing organisations in the field of health, particularly with non government organisations, community based organisations and other non profit organisations providing:

• Home based carers
• TB treatment supporters
• HIV and AIDS pre- and post counsellors
• HIV and AIDS Patient advocates
• Hospice staff and volunteers
• Auxiliary social workers
• Social workers
• Nurses

South Africa is currently in its 3rd decade of fighting courageously against the devastation of HIV and AIDS and dealing with the many varied issues surrounding AIDS-related diseases and countless deaths. In South Africa, we are witnessing an infection rate of more than 2000 new infections per day. More than 700 AIDS-related deaths occur each day.

These have a compounded affect on all peoples of SA and affect not only our economy, but also suffer a huge negative impact on individuals and families leaving nothing unaffected. Caring for the terminally ill and grieving families need not be a specialist work, yet many choose not to, hence the few who do, are special. Owing to the nature of the work, health care workers need all the emotional, spiritual and psychosocial support available. They need to be nurtured, for if they are not, they will be lost to this field due to the consequences of caring. (Burn out)

Caring Light is overwhelmingly aware that most of us are ill equipped to deal with the heart rendering issues of dying, death and grief. Particularly since both health care workers and professionals are confronted with their own mortality in the face of caring for those who are terminally ill or grieving. This leads to ineffective caring owing to the impact it has on us physically, emotional, intellectually and spiritually.

The heath care worker is trained and motivated to care, but seldom are they able to implement their knowledge and skills effectively when they are ill equipped to deal with the issues of the heart, their own mortality or death in the family. Carers become emotionally paralysed rendering them ineffective. Carers need to become self-reliant and simultaneously feel validated, recognised and appreciated, thereby ensuring an effective work force.