“The best first birthday gift we could give Jordan would be for him to hear.”
These were the desperate words of Nicoleen and Dwyne van der Merwe, as they spoke to a GCN journalist at their Tedstoneville home, on their son’s first birthday, August 15.
“Jordan’s hearing can be restored with a cochlear implant,” said Nicoleen.
“The implant would allow Jordan to live a normal life and hear his mommy’s and daddy’s voices for the first time.”
But, to afford the operation, the couple needs to raise over R500 000, after their medical aid refused to assist with the operation.
Jordan’s doctor wants to fit the implant as soon as possible, in a desperate bid to save the nerves Jordan needs to hear.
“If these nerves stop working there will be no chance of him hearing again,” an emotional Nicoleen said.
The couple explained that, since his birth, Jordan has been struggling with ear infections and painful ears.
“I could hardly put him down in the bed,” Nicoleen said.
When Jordan was six months old they noticed that he wouldn’t react to the sound of a rattling toy, the slamming of a door or the sound of their voices.
“We immediately took him for a hearing test at an audiologist in Alberton,” Nicoleen said.
“They weren’t able to get a proper reading, as his ears were so full of fluid, so she referred us to an ENT specialist.”
The specialist removed a thick piece of wax from one of Jordan’s ears and the couple were asked to return within three weeks, as the build up may have been the cause of Jordan’s hearing problems.
“When we returned to the specialist we were told his ears had become worse, and Jordan was booked into hospital to have grommets fitted,” Nicoleen said sadly.
“That was in May of this year; Jordan was only eight months old at the time of the operation.”
After the operation, Nicoleen and Dwyne still believe, Jordan reacted to rattling toys and their voices.
However, two weeks after the grommets were fitted, fluid again began to build in his ears.
This fluid ran from his ears despite Jordan being given antibiotics and ear drops.
“The fluid suddenly stopped one day; it was after this that we realised he was not responding to sounds again,” Nicoleen said.
The couple, not happy with their original ENT specialist, sought a second opinion.
Dr Duane Mol, based at Union Hospital, in Alberton, performed several tests on Jordan.
When he did not react to any of the tests, Mol referred him to the Ear Institute in Pretoria for an Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test.
“The results of the ABR test revealed that Jordan is completely deaf,” Nicoleen said.
“This was the worst news we could ever receive as parents.”
Further tests revealed that Jordan qualifies for a cochlear implant, which will allow him to hear again.
In a bid to collect the money needed to restore their son’s hearing Nicoleen and Dwyne, and their family, are appealing to the community to donate to this worthy cause.
The parents will also be hosting a number of fund-raising days and competitions.
More information on these projects can be found on Jordan’s Facebook page: Help Jordan Hear (www.facebook.com/helpjordanhear1).
To get involved, or for more information, call Nicoleen on 072 176 8759 or 011 436-0354.
