Meet Saraah

Committed to changing the lives of children

For the past three years Saarah, now aged six, has suffered from an infection in her tonsils. It happened so often that her doctor had no choice but to refer her to their district hospital to have her tonsils removed. Her surgery was originally scheduled for April 2020, however Covid-19 happened, and her operation had to be postponed.

Saarah was placed on a waiting list, but the tonsillitis did not stop. The infection and pain became so bad that Saarah refused to eat, she missed school and her mother had to stay home with her, which resulted in Mom missing work. The swollen tonsils and constant pain took its toll on the little girl. Surgery was the only option. Once elective surgeries were allowed again, her doctor successfully arranged an appointment at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital after confirmation was received that the ENT at their District Hospital was still not in operation.

Unfortunately, that operation was cancelled in the wake of the second wave and Saarah had to wait a little longer. Finally, Saarah was given a new date and she had her operation on 13 March 2021, nearly a year after she was scheduled to have her original operation.

“We had to wait a very long time for the operation,” said Saarah’s mom. “Eventually we got a new date later in 2020, but on the day of the operation, we were informed that the operation was cancelled as the second wave hit and the country moved back into lockdown with immediate effect, and we had to wait again! My daughter was in immense pain and there was nothing I could do to soothe her pain.” Anguish clouded this loving mom’s face as she remembered how her heart had sunk, hearing those words.

The global pandemic has had devastating effects on everyone across the globe. When South Africa went into lockdown in March 2020, one of the medical wards in the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital became a designated COVID investigation ward, and surgical services were significantly disrupted.  All day surgeries – which directly affected 1 700 patients – were cancelled which meant that any case could wait an additional three months, was postponed. Theatre capacity and efficiency were significantly reduced overall due to added safety protocols to reduce any risk of infection.

“During the first wave of COVID, we cancelled up to 40% of all elective operative lists for a few months as staff were either ill with COVID, isolating due to a contact, or redeployed to newly commissioned areas within RCWMCH or to Groote Schuur hospital to assist in COVID wards. While urgent and emergency operations continued, cancellations included five full day-case lists a week,” said Associate Professor Sharon Cox, Head of Clinical Unit: Paediatric Surgery.

“The day case lists are operative lists of patients requiring minor, but life changing surgery where patients need not stay overnight,” she continued. “Each list could consist of between six to eight patients. We need to increase services to assist in adding multiple lists to our current service.  So far during this third wave, we have needed to cancel nine day case lists and three of our Weekend Waiting list initiative lists due to the surge in respiratory disease amongst children, with large numbers requiring hospitalization.”

Thankfully, from July, the Hospital was able to start reducing this backlog by doing day surgeries on Saturdays through its Weekend Waiting List Initiative, and Saarah was finally given a new appointment and she had her operation on 13 March 2021, almost a year after she was scheduled for her initial operation.

Saarah’s mom is elated that Saarah had her surgery before the third wave, and the love for her daughter is evident.

“I would do anything for my daughter, and I am just very relieved that this nightmare is behind us. Saarah had to go for two COVID tests – the first time was before they informed us the operation was cancelled due to Level 2. I was so grateful when the Hospital informed us that she had an appointment. We took her in Saturday morning and her operation was at 16h00. The doctors and nurses were amazing. We are just so grateful.”

After her tonsillectomy, she is positively blooming.  “She is living the life a child is supposed to live. She is talkative again and her spark has returned,” her mother said gleefully. “The Hospital gave us post-operation medication and we have not had the need to return again.”

The Weekend Waiting List has had such a positive effect on the livelihoods of children, with their quality of life improving sooner rather than later.

“We have made huge inroads into our waiting list with the Covid Response Plan,” said Dr Dirk von Delft, Head of Trauma at the RCWMCH. “We can get between 8 to 10 cases done on a Saturday where children come in on the morning of the operation and they can leave by the afternoon.”

To continue helping children live their best lives, you can donate to the Weekend Waiting List, or other projects by the Children’s Hospital Trust, here.