Good Morning Angels: Aiding Netta's confidence by correcting her speech impediment

GOOD MORNING ANGELS 5 APRIL 2017 (NETTA/ROUNDTABLE)

Help to fix Netta’s speech problem so she can face the world and embrace the future. 

REQUEST FOR: Janet (Netta) Petro Viljoen

ANGEL: Christo Bezuidenhout from the Round Table 

SPONSORING:  The Round Table will facilitate a diagnosis with a specialist for Netta and cover the costs of her surgery to fix her speech problem.

Take a listen to Netta's story and her daily struggles below: 

BACKGROUND:  20-year old Netta has a severe speech problem. Initially, it was suspected that she had a cleft palate. Despite this, she matriculated from a mainstream school even tough teachers and students put her down. She went to school and then took on the world on her own.

After knocking on many doors, she found a job working with her hands as it's difficult for people to understand her. This is not how she wants to live her life and decided to do something about her situation. Without money or medical aid, she turned to the state hospital.

On the 28th of August 2014, Netta saw a doctor at the State Hospital Plastic Surgery Department, who referred her to one of the hospital's heads of Plastic Surgery. He found that Netta suffers from Treacher Collins Syndrome. The Professor suggested that a thorough investigation be conducted because many factors could play a role in Netta's speech problem. 

The first investigation the Professor suggested, was a procedure where a camera is placed through Netta's nose down her throat. She needs to be awake during the procedure so that she can talk and make sounds, so it can be determined whether the pharynx functions normally. This was unfortunately never performed because Netta has not been able to get an appointment at the Ear, Nose and Throat Department at the state hospital. The issue is that Netta's medical records are not available. As a child, between the ages of 9 and 11, she had an operation to improve her speech but no records are available to determine what kind of procedure she underwent. Her parents are unfortunately not helpful in the department and no further information is available.

ORIGINAL REQUEST:

Netta Viljoen, 21 jaar oud.

Netta is ‘n ongelooflike jong mens met ‘n ernstige spraak probleem.

Daar is aanvanklik vermoed dat Netta ‘n gesplete vehemelte het, maar na onlangse verdere toetse is vasgestel dat sy aan Treacher Collins Syndroom lei. 

Sy het in 'n hoofstroomskool gematrikuleer, tenspyte van die feit dat sy baie geboelie is agv haar gebrek. Sy het na skool lank gesukkel om ‘n werk te kry omdat mense haar nie kon verstaan nie. Sy het ‘n werk gekry in Pretroia waar sy met haar hande kon werk maar sy wil baie graag met mense werk. Sy het al met kliente gewerk maar omdat hulle sukkel om haar te verstaan moes sy terug gaan na die vervaardiging deel van die besigheid. 

Netta is al gewoond aan mense wat kyk en vra wat fout is met haar. Volgens haar is sy perfek en sy hou van haarself net soos sy is maar sy sal graag meer met mense wil kommunikeer en ‘n normale gesprek voer.

Alhoewel sy as 'n kind [tussen die ouderdom van 9 en 11] 'n operasie gehad om haar spraak te verbeter is daar geen rekord beskikbaar om vas te stel watter tipe prosedure sy ondergaan het nie. Daar was ook glad nie fondse gewees vir enige opvolg operasies of spraakterapie nie. 

Ons het haar gevat vir toetse om te sien of daar wel iets vir haar gedoen kan word en dit is waar so is daar vasgestel sy lei aand Treacher Collins Sindroom. Treacher Collins sindroom is ‘n (jammer ek is nie seker hoe om dit in Afrikaans te vertaal nie: (FYI Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS) autosomal dominant congenital disorder characterized by craniofacial deformities, involving the ears, eyes, cheekbones, and jawbone. Those affected have normal intelligence).

Sy is 'n positiewe meisie wat gedetermineerd is om 'n sukses te maak van alles wat sy aan pak en al wat nou tussen haar en haar drome staan is haar spraakprobleem.