GMA: Operation Healing Hands: Giving life saving surgery to people in need for Mandela Day

GOOD MORNING ANGELS 6 JULY 2016

BACKGROUND: In 2009 International Nelson Mandela Day was launched in recognition of Nelson Mandela’s birthday on 18 July, via unanimous decision of the UN General Assembly. 

It was inspired by a call Nelson Mandela made a year earlier, on his 90th birthday, for the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world’s social injustices when he said that “it is in your hands now”. It is more than a celebration of Madiba’s life and legacy. It is a global movement to honour his life’s work and act to change the world for the better. 

Operation Healing Hands is the idea of a Pretoria orthopedic surgeon, to get her colleges  friends and medical supply companies, to give of their time, skill, services and products in the private medical field, to help 10 people who cannot afford private health care, with life saving and changing surgeries. She had no difficulty convincing others in her field to participate and the result is an NPO, supported by more than 20 medical practitioners, support skills and two hospitals: Life Eugene Marais and Life Groenkloof.

Operation Healing Hands will now help 14 patients: seven at each of the Pretoria Life Hospitals, over two weeks starting on Mandela Day on Monday 18 July 2016.

All the patients are people in need, who have been waiting on lists for years. The operations include hip and knee replacements, ports for four children with cancer, reconstructive surgery for a cancer survivor who had a double mastectomy, tonsil removal and the removal of a cancerous vocal chord tumour. All medical treatment, surgery, aftercare for three months and medication will be provided for these patients free of charge!

MORE INFO:   www.operationhealinghands.org

The following patients will receive their operations from 18 - 22 JULY 2016 AT EUGENE MARAIS LIFE HOSPITAL IN PRETORIA

PATIENT 1: 18-year old Calvin Maapeya

BACKGROUND: Calvin is one of three children. He was born with a degree of cerebral palsy, in his hands and legs. He is a bright student and according to his teachers, has all the intellectual ability to make it far in life. His condition however makes its difficult for him to take care of himself and do the basics like bathing, getting dressed, and eating. The tendons in his arms and legs are in permanent spasm, which means he can walk, but with difficulty. He cannot use his hands.

OPERATION: Calvin will be getting a bilateral hip flexor release, bilateral Achilles tendon lengthening and right hand flexor tendon release. This will improve his quality of life tremendously as the operation will relax his hands so he can use it to hold a tooth brush, work a mouse on a computer and feed and wash himself, get dressed: small tasks that he will be able to do for himself for the first time. 

PATIENT 2: 47-year old Mirriam Ramasimong

BACKGROUND: Mirriam is a very proud, well groomed breadwinner of her family. She takes great pride in her job as a cleaner at a hospital. She has a very positive outlook on life and is loved and respected by the staff and patients she supports with her work. Mirriam has however been struggling with a pain in her leg that just wouldn’t go away. It has become a major burden in her life. Over the past few months it has become difficult for her to do her very physical job, as even walking has become a painful task. This has not kept her away from her duties. A doctor at the hospital noticed that Mirriam was not her happy self and on inspection found that her hip-joint was causing all her pain.

OPERATION: Mirriam will be receiving a total hip replacement. After the operation, she will be receiving physio therapy and all the after care needed to ensure that she can continue her life and her job - pain free!

PATIENT 3: 58-year old Paulinah Baloyi

BACKGROUND: Paulinah has been employed as a domestic worker for the past three years. They are very concerned, as Paulinah has trouble with her right knee and the pain is getting progressively worse. She now has to use a crutch and still she has missed only one day of work in three years. She has been to George Mukhari hospital several times, but every time she is sent home with painkillers and scheduled for a follow-up. Her employer consulted a private doctor regarding her knee and it has been confirmed that  she suffers from severe arthritis and the only solution is a knee replacement. Her employers are unable to pay for her operation and it is definitely not something Paulinah can afford herself. Except for her knee, Paulinah is in good health. She is the sole provider for her family as her husband passed away many years ago. She has 4 children of which one is still at school and 2 are unemployed. She never complains, however as her condition gets worse, she won’t be able to walk anymore and will not be able to support her family. 

OPERATION: Paulinah will be getting a total right knee replacement. This will enable her to throw away her crutch and live a pain free and healthy life!

PATIENT 4: 66-year old Myra Lombaard

BACKGROUND: Myra has had trouble with her right shoulder for many years. Before her retirement, she had a shoulder replacement after severe osteo-arthiritis was diagnosed. The pain however did not stop and she has been left with limited use of her right arm. She has since retired and medical aid has become a luxury she cannot afford. Despite this, Myra does a lot of community work. She is part of a group who call themselves “’n Duisend Engele”. They take care of people especially in old aged homes and Myra organizes fun days and fund raisers to help the elderly enjoy their of lonely senior years. 

OPERATION: Myra will receive a reverse shoulder replacement to give her back the pain free quality of life she has not had for many years. This will also relieve her pain and enable her to use both arms to embrace the elderly she is so passionate about caring for.

PATIENTS 5,6,7: Three Children receiving chemo therapy for cancer at the Steve Biko Paediatric Oncology Unit

BACKGROUND: Childhood cancer has become alarmingly common, with many families not able to afford private health care to save their children’s lives. the Steve Biko Children’s Cancer Unit delivers excellent care to their young state patients. The treatment however takes its toll on their young bodies. it has become the norm in private health care facilities to implant a “port” for patients who have to get drips in their veins often - like in the case of chemo therapy. This however is a cost that state funds cannot absorb and needs to be paid for privately. Many families cannot afford this implant, that takes could relieve a lot of the pain in discomfort for these brave little fighters.

OPERATION: Three young cancer patients will receive port implants to assist them with less painful chemo therapy.

Take a listen to each of the reciepients and their stories and what they had to say to us.