A baby boy born with a heart defect received lifesaving surgery at the Maboneng Heart and Lung Institute at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital thanks to medical teamwork spanning the private and public sectors.
“Soon after Dante was born at the end of January this year, we noticed there was something wrong. He was very difficult to settle; he cried and cried, and he wasn’t gaining strength and weight as he should have,” his mother, Jennifer, recalls.
So began a harrowing journey for Dante van der Heever’s family, struggling to make ends meet while their baby son was examined by specialists at Mankweng Hospital and Polokwane Hospital, and he was admitted for two weeks in the intensive care unit at Tshilidzini Hospital. Eventually, the family returned to their home in Makhado with the news that Dante had a serious heart problem, and would need an operation to save his life.
| Dante van der Heever recovering from his heart operation with his relieved parents, Jennifer and Stefan, and registered nurse Doris Ramoleta. The Netcare Foundation and Maboneng Foundation teamed up with medical professionals so that Dante could have the urgent operation sooner pro bono at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital. |
| Today, Dante is a healthy blue-eyed boy of nearly seven months. “Now, Dante is a busy boy and has been much more active and smiling since his procedure. He loves to be the centre of attention and enjoys kisses,” his adoring mother Jennifer says. |
“Dante barely slept, we knew that he struggled with his heart. He couldn't even drink properly, and then he would be out of breath and sweating. We sat day and night awake with him in our arms. It was tough; even now, it is very emotional to think back on that time,” she says.
Dante was put on a waiting list to have the operation at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria, however the earliest date available was 6 July. “At our next check-up, however, the doctors found that the situation was even more urgent. One part of his heart was doing all the work, blood wasn't going to his lower body and organs, and they said Dante’s heart could stop at any second – there was a real danger that Dante wouldn’t make it to July.”
In a race against time, Dante’s doctors started looking for other ways to help Dante get the operation sooner, turning to the Netcare Foundation and the Maboneng Foundation, which coordinates funding and specialist services to help paediatric patients in the public sector who require lifesaving heart procedures.
“Dante’s condition was extremely serious, and we knew we had to find a way to help,” says cardiothoracic surgeon and co-founder of the Maboneng Heart and Lung Institute, Dr Erich Schürmann who led the medical team that donated their time and expertise pro bono to assist Dante at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital.
“Newborn babies’ hearts work a little differently to ours, as there is an artery called the ductus arteriosus that naturally closes soon after birth, then the descending thoracic aorta fully takes over the function of perfusing the infant’s abdominal organs and legs with oxygenated blood.
“In Dante’s case, there was a narrowing in a section of this artery in a condition known as coarctation of the aorta, which is more common in males. The condition accounts for approximately five percent of all congenital heart defects with a reported prevalence of about 4 per 10 000 live births,” Dr Schürmann explains.
Netcare’s general manager of emergency, trauma, transplant and CSI Mande Toubkin, a Director of Netcare’s corporate social investment arm, the Netcare Foundation, says there is an overwhelming need for time-sensitive paediatric heart operations, which require highly specialised skills and healthcare resources.
“Given the extreme urgency of Dante’s heart lesion and following a successful application to the Netcare Foundation, Dante was booked for surgery on 4 April, three months earlier than originally scheduled.”
Jennifer remembers the day the family received the good news: “When we got the call from the doctor, my husband answered the phone, and they told us that the Foundations had arranged for Dante to be helped at one of the country’s leading cardiovascular centres, in a private hospital.
“When my husband told me, I didn't believe him until we had to send copies of our IDs and all Dante's hospital letters and referrals, then I started to realise what was really happening. We were so happy that both of us jumped on our phones to share the wonderful news with our parents and friends back home in Makhado. It felt like a dream come true,” Dante’s mother recalls.
Jennifer spent the first night in hospital with Dante before the procedure. The specialised operation was performed by cardiothoracic surgeons Dr Schürmann and Dr Martin Myburgh of the Maboneng Heart and Lung Institute, paediatric cardiologist Dr Janine Meares, who practices at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital, and anaesthetist Dr Krishnee Naidoo, who donated their time and expertise to help Dante pro bono.
Dante made a rapid recovery in the specialised paediatric cardiothoracic intensive care unit after the procedure and was discharged from the hospital just three days later. “They even arranged for us to stay at the hospital’s lodge, which is within walking distance. Up until then we were staying with family two hours’ drive away. We stayed at the lodge for a couple of weeks during Dante’s recovery,” Dante’s father, Stefan, says.
“I want to say a huge thank you to the Netcare and Maboneng Foundations and all of the amazing people who helped us so much. As parents and with what we've been through, we're focusing on the fact that he is healthy and here today.”
“Dante is just a blessing. He is a wonderful, beautiful, and healthy baby. He is a busy boy and has been much more active and smiling since having his procedure. He loves to be the centre of attention and enjoys kisses. He’s six months old and has gained weight since the operation. He has a future now,” Jennifer says.
“The staff at the hospital, the nurses, and the doctors were professional, compassionate and went out of their way to assist us. It was an emotional time for our family, and it meant so much to us that they welcomed us with open arms.”
“It is reported that one in every 100 children is born with a significant heart defect. Working together with specialists and non-profit organisations like the Maboneng Foundation, which coordinates funding for surgeries, we are honoured that the Netcare Foundation and our partners at Maboneng Foundation were able to assist Dante among our projects for this year,” Toubkin concludes.
For more information about the Maboneng Foundation, which coordinates sponsorship of the procedures, or to make a donation please visit www.mabonengfoundation.co.za.
Ends
Notes to editor
Experience seamless healthcare access with the Netcare App. Enjoy convenient healthcare anytime, anywhere, with expert medical care at your fingertips. Book appointments, consult with GPs virtually and manage pre-admissions all in one place. From emergency response services with geolocation to seamless admission, discover a new level of care. Download the Netcare App today. Alternatively, contact Netcare Appointmed on 0860 555 565, Mondays to Fridays, 08:00 to 17:00 to make an appointment with a therapist, doctor or specialist practising at a Netcare hospital, Netcare Medicross or Netcare Akeso facility near you.
For media enquiries, contact MNA at the contact details listed below.
Issued by: MNA on behalf of Netcare Foundation, Maboneng Foundation, and Netcare Sunninghill Hospital
For media enquiries contact: Martina Nicholson, Meggan Saville,
Estene Lotriet-Vorster and Clementine Forsthofer
Telephone: (011) 469 3016
Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]