Meet Lethokuhle

When Lethokuhle was born, she had no underlying health issues that her mother knew of.

Her name means “Bring in goodness”, and the little baby girl certainly lived up to her name as she brightened up the lives of those who love her. However, things changed drastically when she was five months old, and little Lethokuhle would bring in even more goodness, albeit not in a way one would imagine.

The year 2019 will forever be sketched in the heart of Joe Slovo mother, Thulisa Mxhamile; her life changed in the blink of an eye. On Heritage Day, Thulisa celebrated National Braai Day with her family when her five-month-old daughter suffered a seizure.

“She just her that one seizure, and we rushed her to Red Cross Hospital. On arrival, I was told she was in a critical condition and promptly admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU),” Thulisa shares.

Lethokuhle stayed in ICU for three days. On the fourth day, her health took a turn for the worse.

“I went home to rest a bit, and when I got back, she had been moved to High Care. She was not moving or urinating. She was immobile. Her spine had twisted, and her eyes too,” the mom says.

Thulisa was anxious and fearful. Her little girl’s health was deteriorating at a fast pace. Just a week ago, Lethokuhle was in good health, and now she was lying on a hospital bed, unable to hear her own mother’s voice.

After a week’s stay in high care, doctors started having conversations with Thulisa about a possible head operation.

But sticking to her name, Lethokuhle yet again brought in goodness. Her eyes started moving again, even though they could not focus on objects, and she began to identify sounds. She was getting better again, and her mother’s heart overflowed with joy and gratitude.

The medical team at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital did not give up on Lethokuhle. The little girl was given a specific medical treatment which helped speed her recovery. Afterwards, she was referred to physiotherapy and was continuously treated and monitored.

Lethokuhle is now three years old, and through regular physiotherapy sessions, the little girl has improved so much that she can feed herself and walk independently.

Despite having this traumatic experience, the little girl continues to bring more light into her mom’s life. She is helping Thulisa see life through new eyes and appreciating the little things in life.

During a physiotherapy session, Lethokuhle shows off her entertainment abilities.

She sings “Baby shark” while hitting her toy stick on the table as if it was a drum and swaying her head from side to side, moving to the rhythm of her beat.

“She loves singing and dancing,” her mother chuckles.

The unemployed mother says the return taxi fare to the hospital is R100 per visit. If she brings Lethokuhle’s transport wheeler along, the cost is double.

The Family Care Project was created to bring some light and relief to the lives of many families like Lethokuhle’s to assist them with emergency relief such as transportation for the regular check-ups.

Be the light in a little patient’s life and donate to the Family Care Project. 100% of your donations will go to aiding families with emergency care relief resources.