A baby girl born prematurely at 30 weeks has overcome a life-threatening congenital heart defect, thanks to medical teamwork that answered the prayers of her parents and their community.
“Xihluke’s name means ‘unique’, and she is our miracle angel. She is our second born child, but it was a first for us to experience such health problems with a baby,” says her mother, Oddette.
After a harrowing health journey, Xihluke Mashimbyi is now full of energy since doctors from the state-of-the-art Maboneng Heart and Lung Institute at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital provided their expertise pro bono to close the hole in her heart in an operation made possible by the Netcare Foundation.
“From birth, Xihluke had to remain on a ventilator in the intensive care unit, where I visited her every day to express milk,” Oddette remembers.
Xihluke’s parents grew more and more worried as she struggled to gain weight like a healthy baby should. “If I fed her too much, she would vomit, so I spent ages feeding her tiny amounts, just trying to get her to eat enough,” her mother recalls.
“Tests at Steve Biko Academic Hospital showed our daughter had a hole in the wall separating the chambers of her heart, known as a ventricular septal defect. We were scared because the heart is so necessary for life,” adds Xihluke’s father, Dzunisani.
“Our church community in Soweto was praying for our baby, and most of the people we know had never heard of something like this in such a small child,” Oddette recalls.
At Xihluke’s next checkup, her parents’ and doctors’ fears were confirmed; the hole in the baby girl’s heart had not closed to resolve the problem, as is sometimes the case. Instead, Xihluke would need a specialised heart operation. “It was a very difficult time for us. Hearing the word ‘operation’ makes things sound worse, but we knew it was the only hope for our daughter,” Dzunisani says.
“The problem of heart disease in children is huge, and the number of specialists available who can treat it is unfortunately very small. Xihluke desperately needed the procedure, and we applied to the Maboneng Foundation and the Netcare Foundation to see whether they could help fast-track it in the private sector,” says paediatric cardiologist, Professor Lindy Mitchell of Steve Biko Academic Hospital.
Cardiothoracic surgeon and co-founder of the Maboneng Heart and Lung Institute, Dr Erich Schürmann, explains that the nature of Xihluke’s condition meant the operation was time-sensitive. “A ventricular septal defect, or VSD, refers to a large hole in the wall between the two lower chambers of the heart. Unfortunately, as the child grows, this type of heart defect can damage the arteries of the lungs, so it needs to be fixed as quickly as possible.”
Netcare’s corporate social investment (CSI) arm, the Netcare Foundation, immediately pledged support for the procedure. “The Netcare Foundation has a long association with the Maboneng Foundation, which co-ordinates the specialised resources needed for the life-changing, lifesaving procedures for children with heart defects, like Xihluke,” says Mande Toubkin, Netcare’s general manager of emergency, trauma, transplant and CSI.
In August, cardiothoracic surgeons Dr Lehlohonolo Dongo and Dr Martin Myburgh of the Maboneng Heart and Lung Institute, paediatric cardiologist Dr Kenny Govendrageloo and anaesthetist Dr Stephanie Fischer gave their time and expertise pro bono to perform the intricate heart operation for 10-month-old Xihluke at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital.
“We were relieved that Xihluke was having the operation, but at the same time, we were worried because it is such a big procedure and she was so small. But our prayers were answered because Xihluke responded quickly to the operation, and she recovered easily,” Oddette says.
Just three days after her procedure, Xihluke was well enough to go home with her parents. “She started growing quickly, and her weight is much better. She loves to eat pumpkin, and she enjoys maize meal porridge with peanut butter and a bit of sugar.”
Xihluke’s father expressed the family’s gratitude for the efforts to assist their daughter. “We thank God for the kindness and skill of the medical teams both at Steve Biko Academic Hospital and Netcare Sunninghill Hospital. We thank the doctors and nurses, and the Netcare and Maboneng Foundations, for giving our daughter this second chance at a full, healthy life.”
Toubkin commended the medical teamwork and collaboration between private and public healthcare to ensure Xihluke’s future. “Working together through initiatives such as this, healthcare interventions can reach more children and change their lives. We encourage other organisations looking to make a difference to consider the lasting impact that health-focused initiatives can have – not just on individuals but on entire communities,” she concludes.
For more information about the Maboneng Foundation, which co-ordinates the sponsorship of these procedures, or to make a lifesaving donation to help more children like Xihluke, visit the website.
