An unfortunate fall at school has drastically changed the life of Lungile Mkhwanazi (15) from Villa Liza.
Lungile, who lives with her mother, father and younger sister, was born as a normal child but now she has to walk on one leg with the aid of crutches.
According to her mother, Mavis Mkhwanazi, Lungile wasn’t that seriously hurt following a fall because the following day she was able to go to school.
“She had no pains up until November when she was about to write her final exams. We had to wait until she finished writing exams so that I could take her to a clinic.
“She was transferred to a Vosloorus hospital where she stayed for three days. The doctor told us they don’t see the cause of the pain in her leg.”
Before Christmas, Lungile visited her grandmother in Richards Bay and that is when her leg pains got worse.
Mkhwanazi said Lungile’s grandmother took her to a hospital and was told she had a cracked bone so doctors put a leg cast on her right leg.
“My child spent the whole of January 2018 in hospital. In February, seeing that my child was missing school, I pleaded with the doctors to take her back home so that she can go back to school.
“They gave me a transfer card which clearly stated that any hospital can remove the cast. Back at a hospital in Vosloorus, to my surprise, her leg was swollen up so bad that she couldn’t move it.”
Lungile was taken to Tambo Memorial Hospital where she was admitted for six weeks.
“Her condition didn’t change instead the leg became worse. I then asked for a transfer and she eventually landed up at a hospital in Pietermaritzburg.
“It was then that we found out that she had bone cancer and that amputation was needed.”
Lungile burst into tears while relating her story to the Advertiser.
“At times it feels like my life is over. I can no longer do things I did before on my own, now I need assistance. My mother accompanies me every time to the restroom.”
“My wish is to get a prosthetic leg so that my life can go back to normal.”
Lungile cannot get to school when it rains.
“Because we live in an informal settlement when it rains it means that Lungile can’t go to school as the driver that picks her up cannot navigate the mud. She also cannot walk to school.
“Since she’s been diagnosed with cancer she goes for chemotherapy three times in one month at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital.
“Financially we battle to survive since my husband is the only one working.”
The family is appealing to the public to help assist in raising funds or donate towards Lungile’s prosthetic leg.
Contact her parents on 072 3205 699 or 078 007 2216.
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