Caylum gives back on his first birthday!

Caylum’s party raised R5000, this money together with R100 000 will be donated to baby Miané who needs help getting to rehab

January 17, 2017

SHERNOVIA REDDY 4 minutes read

SIBLINGS: Baby Caylum with his sister Charlotte at his party.

BABY Caylum Willemse celebrated his first birthday with a party at The Playhouse in Alberton on Sunday, January 15, 2017 after turning one on January 12.

There was a host of family members, friends and community members present to support not only baby Caylum, but also other babies who have been chosen for assistance by the Caylum Willemse Foundation.

READ: Celebrate with baby Caylum

All proceeds from Caylum’s party were donated to little Miané Ainslie, a near-drowning victim. On November 9, 2015, Miané fell into a portable pool at her grandmother’s house in a suburb of Witbank. It is suspected that she was in the pool for approximately 10 minutes before her grandmother found her. She was pulled out of the pool and started to receive CPR until the ambulance arrived. CPR was continued by medical staff in the ambulance whilst in transit to Life Cosmos Hospital, where a faint heartbeat was heard after 23 minutes.

Miané was in hospital for one month, in which period substantial medical costs were incurred.

Through regular physiotherapy, her movements have improved tremendously and she is now able to turn her head and make eye contact. She is also learning to drink again.

MUST READ: Donations flock for baby Caylum after 947 Breakfast Express steps in

Everyone who attended Caylum’s party contributed R100 per child. At the end of it all R5 000 was raised. This money, together with R100 000, will be donated to baby Miané, who needs help getting to rehab.

WATCH: Caylum Willemse Foundation announces its support for babies

READ: Baby Caylum is one step closer to Boston

Following the Willemses’ trip to Boston, Caylum’s operation was a great success. It took over 10 hours and Caylum did really well throughout the procedure. The first few hours of the operation were spent removing old scar tissue. According to Dr Jennings, Caylum’s airways were almost completely closed. Without the procedure, Caylum would never have survived.

READ: Baby Caylum is going to Boston!

Thanks to the operation, Caylum’s airways are now 95 per cent open and he is able to breathe without wheezing. According to chairperson of the Caylum Willemse Foundation, Kelly Caden, the Willemses are expecting a three- to six-month recovery period, with the first two weeks being very tough.

“Caylum shocked everyone with being discharged only four days after the operation. The nurses and doctors were astounded by how quickly he bounced back. While in Boston, Caylum also took part in the feeding programme and was able to eat foods without choking,” said Caden.

He has lots of energy and is exploring his world without limitations. Dr Jennings told Caylum’s parents, Wayne and Samantha Willemse, that following the operation, Caylum’s life is no longer at risk.

“It is suspected that Caylum has a laryngeal cleft, which means he aspirates on thin liquids. It was hoped that they would do the scope and procedure while they were still in Boston, but while recovering from his main procedure, Caylum picked up RSV (which before Dr Jennings had done the procedure, could have been fatal for Caylum). Caylum recovered very well from the RSV, but he cannot undergo anaesthesia for six to eight weeks, which is why the family decided to return to SA in the interim,” said Caden.

The Willemses were welcomed back to South Africa on December 23, just in time to spend Christmas with their daughter, Charlotte.

Baby Caylum will be returning to Boston towards the end of February for surgery on his laryngeal cleft. Post this operation he will be able to drink thin liquids.

Follow Caylum’s journey to Boston:

Caylum is en route to Boston

Alberton’s baby boy is in Boston!

UPDATE: Caylum’s operation is a success

Caden and the Willemses made a key announcement at the party when they named the next families and babies they will be helping.

The foundation made significant donations to babies Shelton Tofile (13 months old) and baby Phenyo Mackenzie Moropa (10 months old).

Baby Shelton also has TOF and OA, similar to Caylum. He has a problem with his oesophagus (the feeding tube) and the trachea (the windpipe), known as tracheo-oesophageal fistula (TOF) and oesophageal atresia (OA). The Caylum Willemse Foundation is sponsoring all his treatment, amounting to R60 000. Keep reading the RECORD for more on baby Shelton.

The Caylum Willemse Foundation is also helping little Phenyo, who was born on March 7, 2016, with a rare birth defect called tibial hemimelia. This disease is so rare that it affects only one in every million births worldwide. The foundation donated R100 000 to Phenyo and they are still in the process of raising more funds for him. Keep reading the RECORD for more updates on baby Phenyo.

WATCH: Children enjoy the train ride at Caylum’s birthday party:

With so many babies joining in the fun and celebrating baby Caylum’s first birthday, there was no time to relax at The Playhouse. The full house of babies proved to be a busy day for parents, who were happy to donate to a worthy cause.

Caylum’s superhero party had and endless supply of sweets, snacks, goodies, drinks, and superhero costumes for the photo booth, and it was all about having fun!