Page 30 - Waterfall City Issue 4 April 2025

Waterfall City Health

LIFESAVING HEART OP

A t just over a year old, little

Oaheng Twala’s heart
condition took a serious turn.
Without an urgent operation,
her life was in peril. Thanks to medical
teamwork and the Netcare Foundation,
she is now a thriving, active toddler with
an unquenchable sense of curiosity.

“When Oaheng was about six weeks
old, she suddenly started turning blue,
struggling to breathe, and had bubbles
coming from her mouth. We were so
frightened and took her to hospital in
Klerksdorp, where she was admitted
for treatment for a chest infection. We
had no reason to suspect an underlying
condition,” says her mother, Keabetswe
Twala.

When the little girl’s chest infection
improved, doctors were able to detect
a heart murmur. They noticed that
Oaheng’s oxygen levels remained lower
than normal, prompting a referral for
further testing. “On the day we learnt
of our daughter’s heart condition,
everything fell apart for us,” she recalls.

For a time, Oaheng’s condition stabilised.
Still, soon it became evident she would
need surgery to correct a hole between
the upper two chambers of her heart, a
congenital heart defect known as atrial
septal defect.

Mande Toubkin, general manager of
emergency, trauma, transplant and
corporate social investment (CSI) at
Netcare, says there is an overwhelming
need for specialised paediatric heart
operations, which are highly resource-
intensive.

“When we learnt of Oaheng’s situation,
her condition had worsened and
required urgent intervention. We

28 Waterfall City Issue 4 2025