Meet David

In the first few months of his life, baby David came very close to losing his fight. But this courageous little boy had a loving and caring family on his side and a team of dedicated healthcare workers who fought for him at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (RCWMCH). Some of the obstacles he still faces may seem daunting, and at times even life-threatening, but David was blessed with a strength far mightier: Family and the will to Live.

Chantel Faure is an experienced mom and David is her 4^th child. From very early, on she knew that there was something different about David. Diagnosed with a floppy lung, clubbed foot and autism, David would face many battles. Chantel knew what this meant: her little boy needed the best team on his side – a supernatural team, even.

David was 6 months old when he became seriously ill. His “floppy lung” was failing, and his life was in danger. Chantel tells us: “It was horrible when the doctors said to us that there was nothing else that they could do. But they gave him the best care, called Pathcare, and put him on a CPAP.” (A CPAP is a continuous positive airway pressure machine and is the most prescribed device for treating sleep apnea disorders).

But David was not responding to the medication.

“All I could do as a parent was just pray,” recalls Chantel. “Doctors were doing their best and working around the clock trying to help him. I thought I was going to lose my son. There was no other hope.”

Chantel’s voice suddenly becomes lighter, and one can hear the optimism and joy streaming through her when she tells of the day when she walked into the ward to see her son alert and breathing by himself. Her faith is stronger now and she looks at David as her “miracle baby”.

“The doctors administrate the medicine, but God does the healing, and we believe in that.”

Indeed, there are many miracles in the world. Quite often, the biggest miracle is that the right people, at the right time, in the right place, are positioned in our lives to make all those miracles happen. Some people say it is God, others say it is humanity, science or even destiny. Whatever you believe, you will agree that many miracles happen at this special place we call Red Cross Children’s Hospital.

At this special Hospital, little David’s autistic nature is treated with care and compassion and his healing begins with care of his tactile boundaries and his non-verbal communication. With one battle won, he is stronger as he faces operations to correct his clubbed foot and the tethered cord in his spine. But there is a vision of him walking, and many minds, hearts and hands are working together to make it happen. That is the miracle in progress.

While little David is on his way to healing, he and other children with similar conditions require perpetual stimulation; they require both visual and tactile play environments to aid their holistic development. It is proven that sensory walls and play panels improve both emotional, social and cognitive development of children.

At RWMCH, a new Therapeutic Playground will be built with the aim to heal sick and injured children like David through play. This R17.5 million project will create a space for patients to heal beyond the physical and was designed to positively impact patients like David who communicate differently and require additional support to develop their fine and gross motor skills. The Therapeutic Playground will also provide children with an imaginary escape from things around them that may not make sense. It is proven that play, and primarily Therapeutic Play, is crucial for the holistic healing and well-being of children.

Help the Children’s Hospital Trust develop a safe and stimulating new Therapeutic Play area at the Hospital that will cater for children of all ages and abilities including outpatients like David, their caregivers and other family members (siblings etc), as well as inpatients who are well enough to leave the ward with supervision.

Donate today and help us make these little patients’ dreams come true. 100% of your donations, will help us to build a magical, interactive and colourful Therapeutic Playground where these little ones will heal and develop as they play. They will play again, because of you. They will laugh again, because of you. They will dream bigger, because of you. Because of you, their dreams matter.

When you donate to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital, you are part of the many miracles, and you make their dreams possible!