Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
FIVE-YEAR-OLD Taboka Angeline Sibanda, an ECD learner at Chinotimba Primary School in Victoria Falls has gone to South Africa for heart surgery after her schoolmates and well-wishers raised the R30 000 needed for the operation.
Taboka, the last-born in a family of three, has a pericardial effusion, also referred to as “fluid around the heart”; a condition where excess fluid develops between the lining of the heart (pericardium) and the heart itself.
She has an enlarged heart causing her upper abdomen and chest to swell.
Medical experts recommended that she goes to either South Africa or India for the surgery.
About R30 000 is needed for the surgery in South Africa and the same surgery costs US$10 000 in India.
Learners at Chinotimba Primary raised R13 000 through a civvies day where each learner paid US$1, while two tourists and a local resident came up with the balance after reading about the girl’s plight in Chronicle.
Taboka and her mother Ms Qiniso Ndlovu are in Cape Town where doctors at Red Cross Hospital have conducted tests and a scan.
Taboka’s abdomen is too big and this forced her to spend most of her time lying down due to the pain.
Speaking from Cape Town where they are staying with a relative, Ms Ndlovu said her daughter is in a stable condition.
She was admitted to hospital last week for tests and has since been discharged as she awaits for results.
“She is better and we are waitng for the results of the tests. They said they could not only depend on the medical records we brought from home hence they conducted fresh tests,” said Ms Ndlovu.
She said surgeons will meet and decide on the way forward once the tests results are out.
“They said her heart has a single chamber instead of four. They gave her medication to drain fluids because her heart is too big. They also gave her supplements and vitamins to boost her weight so that when she is operated on, she will be in good health. I am short of words to thank all those that have assisted us, especially pupils at Chinotimba Primary,” she said.
Mr Victor Sibanda, one of the teachers who coordinated the fundraising, said the school managed to raise the required R30 000 after three well wishers chipped in with a combined US$800 to add to the R13 000 raised by the learners.
“The donation from foreign tourists and a local was a timely boost for the children’s initiative to assist their colleague. Children and teachers at the school are eagerly awaiting Taboka’s return and we wish her a successful operation,” said Mr Sibanda. – @ncubeleon
Online Reporter