A plastic and reconstructive surgeon turned his own experience of being born with a facial anomaly, into the motivation needed to save others. This week, he helps a young boy born without external ears.
Bloemfontein, South Africa (12 April 2023) – Smile Week is taking place at Universitas Academic Hospital (UAH) in Bloemfontein, from 11th April to 14th April 2023, 18 children from previously disadvantaged families, suffering from facial anomalies and the emotional trauma of such conditions, will be undergoing reconstructive surgery. This week is supported and coordinated by Smile Foundation NPO.
Among the children undergoing surgery is young Matsohlo who is 9 years old. Matsohlo was born with Microtia, which is a birth defect presenting itself as a congenital abnormality of the outer ear. In plain terms, Matsohlo’s external ears (the part that can be seen) is missing completely.
Being the first time that she had ever seen a child with such a condition, his mother, Relebohile, was heartbroken after giving birth to her son. She shares how living with such a condition has impacted her child’s life:
“The children that Matsohlo faces outside of his home and family, do not accept him. He is called hurtful names. He is bullied and teased about looking different to other children, every single day.”
An emotional Relebohile elaborates:
“Matsohlo feels rejected by the children at school. This has made him not want to go to school and it is a great struggle to get him to go every day. He keeps to himself and avoids playing with other children because he is afraid of the bullying and name calling. The way he looks has broken his self-confidence. He has no self-love and self-acceptance.”
She continues:
“I have tried my best to comfort Matsohlo and explain his condition to him but he has had a very hard time understanding and always asks me, “Why did God make me so different, Mamma?”
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My greatest wish is that he will look like other children after his surgery. I hope that he will be accepted and that he gets a good education in life. I am so grateful to the wonderful Doctors who will be operating on my son and Smile Foundation, for answering a mother’s prayers.”
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South Africa's Navi Pillay Wins Nobel Peace Prize!The Plastic and Reconstructive Team at UAH together with Dr Efraim van der Walt (Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon in Private Practice) will be. Dr Efraim van der Walt has first-hand experience of having to face the world with a
Dr Efraim shares his story of hope:
“I was born with a cleft lip and palate sixty years ago in a small town in the Free State.
Very little knowledge, no support and no plastic surgeon was available in the province at that stage. My parents wanted to give me the best they could, and came to know about Dr Jack Penn at the Brenthurst clinic in Johannesburg. This was my first encounter with Plastic Surgery.” shares Dr Efraim.
Dr Efraim elaborates on his reason for entering the field of plastic surgery:
“The main reason why I initially chose to become a Plastic Surgeon, was to help children with these deformities, and to try and return the wealth of expertise, knowledge and compassion that I have received along my journey to other kids and parents with the same problems. It was also my way of thanking the Lord for what He had done for me.”
“When I started specialising, I fell in love with all the aspects of this marvellous field, and being in the Free State, I have to cover the complete speciality. Unfortunately, I do not see as many cleft patients as I would like to in private practice, which is why Smile Foundation is so special for me. The loving, caring and exciting environment which is created with every Smile Week, is just so heart-warming and encouraging for each and every person partaking: from the patients, to the nurses, to the doctors, to the people cleaning the theatre and the wards,” says Dr Efraim.
On sharing his overall experience of Smile Week, Dr Efraim adds:
“Smile Week gives me the opportunity to do more of this wonderful work and help more children to look and live normally.”
“And as Dr Jack Penn once said: It is the divine right of every human to Look human,” concludes Dr Efraim.
This Smile Week will help so many children, not just by restoring their confidence, but by giving them a reason to smile and the chance to be a child again.
“We feel honoured and privileged to be able to provide these opportunities for Dr Efraim van der Walt to do more of his wonderful work in helping children to look and live normally. Without the unwavering commitment and compassion of great surgeons, and the dedicated staff at Universitas Academic Hospital, such initiatives would not be possible. It is through people like you, that we are able to continue the legacy of our life-changing Smile Weeks.
We look forward to many more opportunities to give underprivileged children the chance to move beyond their physical differences and the emotional pain of being teased by others, as we raise awareness around the fact that even though living with a disability can have a deep-seated effect on a child, there is always a way to help them feel better about themselves,” acknowledges Kim Robertson Smith – Chief Executive Officer of Smile Foundation.
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