The Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital in the Northern Cape shoulders a great burden, catering to the needs of many; this week, the hospital is getting a much-needed boost and a help in addressing the surgical waiting list.
Kimberly, South Africa (17 April 2024) – As the only tertiary hospital in the Northern Cape, Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital shoulders immense responsibility, putting its dedicated specialist surgeons under tremendous pressure as they serve communities far and wide. In the vast region of the Northern Cape, rural hospitals often stand alone, without the expertise of specialist surgeons found in urban areas. This situation, coupled with financial hardships faced by rural and farming community patients, necessitates long-distance travel for specialised medical care. Many mothers in these areas grapple with unemployment, exacerbating their challenges.
Smile Week is a life-changing initiative geared to help bridge the gap between young patients whose families cannot otherwise afford specialised operations and the medical specialists who are able to assist them.
This Smile Week is taking place from 15 to 19 April at Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital (RMSH), where 25 children from previously disadvantaged backgrounds will undergo corrective surgery – most of which will involve cleft lip and palate repair.
One of the children undergoing surgery is Doraldo Cloete. In the heart of Steinkopf, a quaint farming town in the Northern Cape, young Doraldo Cloete has faced challenges from the moment he was born with a cleft lip. This 17-month-old boy and his devoted mother, Donna-Lee, find themselves navigating a daunting 830km journey to reach Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital, a trip spanning two days.
His young mother, Donna-Lee, encountered a great deal of emotional stress when her child was born with such a condition. Although she was emotionally supported by her family, she did not have access to counselling or guidance, and was referred to Dr Harry Surtie Hospital in Upington for her child’s medical assessment. She was later referred to Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital in Kimberley for Doraldo’s surgery, which did not materialise due to a long waiting list as well as transport issues in the public sector. Not earning an income has added immense financial pressure to Donna-Lee, which has made her extremely grateful for her son’s upcoming corrective surgery.
“Being able to significantly change the lives of young, hopeful mothers and their children in need of reconstructive surgery is just one of the many things we love most about Smile Week. It is only through the kindness and dedication of the surgeons, medical teams, and hospital support staff as well as our financial sponsors that such miracles can happen. Pledging your support for Smile Foundation is one of the most powerful actions you can take to help the most vulnerable in our society,” concludes Tarri Parfitt, CEO of Smile Foundation.
Coordinated by Smile Foundation, Smile Week is a full working week, during which surgeons, their assisting surgical teams, other medical professionals and hospital staff open their hearts and clear their schedules to perform reconstructive surgery on previously disadvantaged children suffering from physical anomalies and burn injuries. To pledge your support for this initiative, make a donation today.
Sources: Smile Foundation
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