12 June 08

By Clifford Mogotsi

ALTHOUGH the need for a liver transplant is becoming more urgent, two-year-old Thandile Madikane still has a contagious smile and the energy to play around like any other toddler.

Mother Felicity Madikane and the rest of the Madikane family only hope that their little jewel will get another chance to live. The family lives in Kagiso, on the West Rand. However, for her mother, a contract worker at Krugersdorp's emergency services unit, it’s just a pipe dream that she and family will be able to raise the half-a-million rand that is needed for the transplant.

But the Madikanes’ prayers may soon be answered; a spark of hope was lit when the Mogale City Local Municipality launched the Baby Thandile Trust Fund.

The municipality was made aware of Thandile’s condition last year when her family and the Centre for Youth Development (CYD) approached the Office of the Executive Mayor to help ensure that Thandile got the best medical help and funds for her operation.

Thandile has biliary atresia, a progressive inflammatory disease of the liver, and she needs a transplant. Biliary atresia is a congenital absence or closure of the ducts that drain bile from the liver; illness begins soon after birth.

According to transplant co-ordinator Kim Crymble from the University of the Witwatersrand's Donald Gordon Medical Centre, babies are born with the disease. "Children with this problem are born with it and no-one can pick [it] up when the baby is still in the mother's womb.

"Bile is trapped inside the liver and rapidly causes damage and scarring to the liver cells. Further scarring of the liver tissue may result in cirrhosis," Crymble said, adding that a transplant and medication could cost over R400,000.

After having a transplant, Thandile would have to take chronic medication for the rest of her life to prevent her body from rejecting the new organ.

With the help of Mogale City Executive Mayor Koketso Calvin Seerane, the sick toddler and her mother last year received airline tickets to Cape Town for an appointment at the Red Cross Children's Hospital. A medical assessment was undertaken and the doctors declared her condition stable.

Speaking at the launch of the trust fund, Madikane could only thank the municipality, the CYD and her family for their support. “I would like to thank all of you - the municipality, the CYD and my family - for supporting me and my baby. Thank you for everything that you are doing,” she said.

She only discovered the nature of her child's illness when she was six months old. When approached for comment, Madikane explained how the story unfolded. “I took Thandile to Leratong Hospital when her eyes turned yellowish and her urine became yellow and thick.

"My baby was admitted for seven days and doctors ran tests but couldn't find anything … I was referred to Coronation Hospital, which referred me to Johannesburg Hospital. My baby underwent an operation, and it was discovered that Thandile suffers from biliary atresia."

Seerane’s Office pledged R50,000 to the trust. He said people needed to be made aware of organ transplants. “We need to make people aware about the issues of organ transplant and spark a debate … to spread awareness about this.

“We also need to challenge hospitals and surgeons [to] get involved in the operation, to come to the party and give discounts,” Seerane said.

Afro pop group singer Nhlanhla Nceza was also present and donated R5 000 to the trust fund.

Thandile is being cared by her mother, her unemployed grandmother Veronica and Sister Boitumelo at their home in Kagiso.

Donations can be made to the Baby Thandile Trust Fund, First National Bank, account number 621778552454.