It is a sunny but chilly Saturday afternoon at the Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town,  a long-awaited moment has finally arrived for the Skolweni family. Thanks to the donor-funded Surgical Waiting List Project, made possible through the Children’s Hospital Trust, 7-year-old Avile is receiving the surgery he needs, while his 15-year-old sister, Okumiyo, is being prepared to undergo the same procedure later in the day.

Their mother, Anela, has a natural exuberance and speaks animatedly as she shares her children’s health journey with us.

“The journey with my first-born has not been easy. I noticed that Okumiyo had problems with her vision when she was in Grade 4; she is now in Grade 9. My child struggled a lot as she had to repeatedly ask her teachers to place her in front of the classroom so that she could see.”

Anela had taken Okumiyo to many doctors over the years, but none could provide the help they needed. The concerned mother left no stone unturned over the next five years as she searched for help and answers. Initial tests did not reveal the cause and doctors told Anela that they subsequently could not prescribe spectacles, but she remained undeterred in her efforts to find the help her daughter needed as the young girl’s vision difficulties affected her daily life and experience at school.

In little Avile’s case, his teachers noticed that he would often push other children because he could not see them approaching. His instinctive reaction was to push them away to protect himself. A routine eye health screening at the school revealed that the little boy had a cataract in one eye. A cataract is a layer that forms inside the eye and makes everything appear blurry. This layer can be removed safely and easily and replaced by a clear, artificial lens leading to clear vision.  Anela immediately asked the school to assist so that Okumiyo could also be seen, and she was subsequently also diagnosed with a cataract. Both children were then referred to Tygerberg Hospital.

Anela reflects on her own journey when she was operated on due to the same condition in 2008. It was clear that the condition was hereditary, and the devoted mother recalls her children’s journey that was beset with ups and downs. They were given a date for March for surgery this year, but when they arrived, the doctor was sick and they were given another date in July.

For Anela, the Surgical Weekend Waiting List has brought relief after years of uncertainty. More than providing access to surgery, it has given her children the opportunity to move through the world with greater confidence and independence. For Avile, it could mean seeing the children around him more clearly. For Okumiyo, it could mean participating more comfortably at school and looking towards her future with confidence.

With a face beaming with gratitude, Anela leaves us with these parting words: “I give a very big thank you to the people who make this project possible because our kids are finally getting the help they need, which we could not do alone. So, with them being available and willing to help, our children and other children in this ward, and many others, are being helped so a big thank you to them.”

Anela’s gratitude is a reminder of what donor support makes possible. Through the Surgical Weekend Waiting List, children who have waited for essential procedures are receiving the care they need, and families like the Skolwenis are being given renewed hope for their future.