Pick n Pay’s annual mandarin box campaign will once again turn blue this June, with the goal of helping raise funds for a R7.8 million neurosurgical microscope for the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital through the Children’s Hospital Trust.

The advanced microscope will be used in complex brain and spinal surgeries at Africa’s oldest and dedicated specialist children’s hospital, enabling surgeons to operate with greater precision in life-saving procedures and improving outcomes for some of the most vulnerable patients.

Now in its fifth year, the annual campaign continues to support the fundraising efforts of the Children’s Hospital Trust, turning routine grocery shopping into tangible support for life-saving care. A portion of proceeds from every specially marked blue box of Pick n Pay mandarins sold will be donated during the month of June.

In 2025, the initiative raised funds towards upgrading the hospital’s Short Stay Ward, a critical unit that stabilises young patients before they are admitted to the main wards or discharged.

“Every box of mandarins sold brings us closer to providing world-class surgical care for children who need it most. A tool like this neurosurgical microscope can mean the difference between a successful outcome, a lifelong disability or death, that's the real weight of what customers are contributing to,” said Rebecca Fifield, Technical Manager for Fresh Produce at Pick n Pay.

The Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, which is proudly celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, treats more than 250 000 children each year, serving as a leading referral centre for complex and critical paediatric cases across South Africa and the wider region. The addition of a neurosurgical microscope will strengthen the hospital's neurosurgical capabilities, supporting procedures where accuracy is critical to reducing complications, improving recovery, and helping prevent lifelong disability or death.

“We are deeply grateful for our longstanding partnership with Pick n Pay, which has played a vital role in raising funds for life-saving facilities and equipment at the hospital. We encourage the public to support this important initiative and help us reach our goal of acquiring a life-saving neurosurgical microscope for the most vulnerable members of our communities by purchasing a box of mandarins from Pick n Pay,” said Taryn Rubenstein, Donor Relations Manager: Corporate Fundraising at The Children's Hospital Trust.

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