Isolated in a rural community with limited support, a mother’s journey has been marked by worry and hardship. However, a glimmer of hope emerges thanks to the Smile Foundation’s Smile Week.
Pretoria, South Africa (14 August 2024) – Pembelani, a single mother from a rural community, has faced immense challenges raising her daughter, Oritika, who was born with Goldenhar Syndrome. Like many mothers in rural areas, she has endured the isolation and hardship of caring for a child with a congenital abnormality.
Hope is on the horizon for Pembelani and Oritika, as Smile Foundation, a dedicated nonprofit, is providing life-changing surgery for the nine-month-old. As part of Smile Week, taking place at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria from 12 to 16 August and sponsored by Milky Lane, Oritika is one of twelve children scheduled to receive corrective facial surgery.
Oritika’s young life has been marked by the challenges associated with Goldenhar Syndrome. Smile Foundation’s intervention offers a beacon of hope for the family.
Oritika’s condition presents as clubfoot, an underdeveloped ear, a bilateral cleft lip, a cleft palate, a hole in her heart, and a leg condition.
According to the foundation, this week Oritika will receive a cleft lip repair, this allows for easier feeding, improved speech development, enhanced sense of emotional well-being and more positive self-esteem.
Single mother, Pembelani has faced significant challenges in caring for her daughter. She said that from the day that Oritika was born, the big opening in her lip made feeding very difficult.
“This has been a worry for me as she needs all the nourishment she can get to build her strength. The people living in our area have not been supportive of our situation. They don’t understand Oritika’s health problems. They have put a lot of pressure on me and have been very difficult to deal with.
“This has stressed my child and myself out terribly, but I am not giving up. I must stay strong and positive for my little girl and I know that with the help of Smile Foundation, Oritika’s surgery and the kind doctors who will be helping her after her operation, Oritika will have a happy and healthy future,” Pembelani shared.
Tarri Parfitt, CEO of Smile Foundation, affirmed that every child deserves to feel secure, loved and capable of anything.
“This is the very foundation upon which dreams are realised. To the extraordinary team of surgeons, medical professionals, and hospital staff at Steve Biko Academic Hospital – your steadfast commitment is truly awe-inspiring.
“You are giving these children and their parents the precious gift of a new beginning, a chance to face life with a renewed sense of hope and a smile that shines brighter than ever.”
Sources: The Smile Foundation
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:
Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 