Help us find a cardiologist to help Juvan

Two parents from Alberton are in dire need of a good cardiologist, willing to help their very sick child.

October 7, 2016

David Pienaar 2 minutes read

MOTHER AND SON: Chantel Botha with little Juvan.

TWO parents from Alberton are in dire need of a good cardiologist who is willing to help their very sick child.

Juvan Botha was born on July 27 of this year, a natural home birth with no complications. “I had a normal full term pregnancy with no major issues or any reason for concern, he was perfect at 2.4kg,” says Juvan’s mother, Chantel Botha.

“I noticed that he started to sweat during feeds and was a bit concerned about his soft spot being so large. As I have two other children, he was very small compared to them so I thought that was maybe the cause,” adds Chantel.

Upon taking Juvan for his six-week check-up and then his inoculations, the sister advised Chantel to take him to a paediatrician for a full check up, which took place the following week, on September 13.

The doctor doing the check-up said his oxygen levels were too low, so they gave him oxygen, but no improvement was found and the doctor sent the parents straight to the hospital with Juvan.

“After a multitude of tests, they said he was very ill and that he has a complex heart condition and conjugated hyperbilirubinemia and they had to do a heart catheterisation” recalls Chantel.

“On Monday, September 19, he didn’t want to wake up or feed and around 15:00, he stopped breathing. We felt our whole world stood still. We were praying so hard, but all we could get out was ‘Please not our baby, please, please make him breathe.’ We have never cried like that. The doctors were thankfully able to resuscitate him after what seemed like forever,” she adds.

According to the doctors Juvan would need to recover before he could go for the heart cath and tried to prepare the parents for the worst.

The following week, little Juvan went in for the procedure, but doctors soon found further complications, namely pulmonary atresia with a VSD and MAPCAS (serious genetic conditions). “There is no operation they can do to fix his heart and the cause for his liver dysfunction is unknown. They cannot do anything for him,” says Chantel.

That night, Juvan’s toes started going purple and in the morning his whole leg was full of purple patches. This was a complication following the heart cath, says his mother.

His leg has since just gotten worse. All his little toes are black and dried out. His foot is purple halfway up to his calf, with purple patches up to his thigh.

“We have requested a second opinion and have gotten a transfer to Bloemfontein. Now we are praying they can help save our baby,” says Coenie Botha, the father.

If there are any cardiologists who are familiar with the condition Juvan is suffering from and/or any who would be willing to help the family with advice and assistance, please contact Chantel Botha on 072 496 2472.

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