Bringing Hope: Saturday Surgeries give children like Adriaan healing

When a parent takes their child to the hospital for their first-ever surgery, it’s undoubtedly an extremely heart-wrenching experience. That instinctive fear and protectiveness, which is inherent to all parents, is as relentless to the parent whose child is having minor surgery as much as it is to the parent whose child is having major surgery.

Chelanda has brought her -year-old son, Adrian, to Tygerberg Hospital to have his surgery. When Adrian was born, doctors found he had undescended testicles, also known as cryptorchidism. While this is a common congenital condition, if undiagnosed it can lead to a higher risk of testicular cancer in adulthood, testicular torsion and inguinal hernia. Over and above that, it can lead to infertility.

Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital established the Weekend Waiting List (WWL) programme to alleviate the backlog of minor surgeries. Every second Saturday, paediatric staff take on an extra day’s work to perform these minor or elective surgeries.

Adrian has been on the list since late 2020, and unfortunately the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and elective surgeries were put on hold and then later reintroduced. However, the waiting had its toll on little Adrian and his mom.

The waiting also meant more check-ups, postponements and new dates for the surgery.

Each time Chelanda mentally and emotionally prepared herself for the day of her son’s surgery, she would arrive at the hospital before sunrise, her son was nil-by-mouth, hungry and crying. The surgery was postponed twice already, and this meant losing two days of work and a R100 return transport fare used up. She was exhausted by a life of uncertainty and fear with little hope her child would finally get the surgery he needs.

Now, in early 2023, it is Adrian’s turn to have his procedure. Chelanda is naturally nervous as her little boy with his big chestnut eyes and curly hair is being prepared for theatre, but she trusts the devoted doctors and she has her faith to carry her through those tense hours.

Adrian’s procedure is a success. He is still young enough to probably not remember the operation, young enough to not be emotionally or physically affected by it, and young enough to go on to live a normal and happy life.

Tygerberg Hospital started its first WWL programme on the 11th of February 2023. The programme has facilitated 233 surgeries from 33 additional lists at Tygerberg Hospital.

Dr Corné De Vos, Consultant Paediatric Surgeon at Tygerberg Hospital said with every five surgeries done at Tygerberg, ten other names are added on the list. This speaks to the need for such a programme.

“As mothers and surgeons, we know how it feels to have your kid’s surgery being postponed all the time. So, we don’t mind doing it at all.” Her sentiments sum up the spirit in which the entire team approach the WWL Programme.

Chelanda is so grateful that Adrian was able to have his surgery through the Trust’s WWL Initiative because even smaller procedures such as Adrian’s orchidopexy, still carry huge costs and are also often the first procedures to be postponed. Through the WWL, Adrian was able to have his surgery much sooner than would have been likely. Chelanda wishes to appeal to the community to donate to the Children’s Hospital Trust so that children, like her Adrian, can be afforded the opportunity to have procedures that families would not normally be able to make possible for their children.

Help little ones like Adriaan get the surgeries they need by donating to our Weekend Waiting List Initiative. 100% of your donations go directly towards the programme.