BARBERTON – Having a new addition to the family brings joy to any mother. When that is coupled with a severe medical condition such as congenital spina bifida and club feet, the journey becomes an arduous one for the mom and her newborn.
This is the reality a mother of three, Candice Tumber, faced after giving birth to her daughter, Bailey, in December two years ago. While her pregnancy proved uneventful, reality set in after Bailey was diagnosed with spina bifida last April.
“She was born with multicongenital spina bifida as well as hip dysplasia and misdiagnosed with caudal regression
syndrome before finally receiving a confirmed diagnosis of spina bifida,” said Candice.
The condition occurs when the spine and spinal cord do not form properly and affect the child’s mobility. The following two years would prove to be financially taxing for Candice, which included weekly travel from Barberton to
Pretoria where little Bailey was receiving treatment.
“We travelled with the Barberton Hospital transport every week and had to stay over there on Wednesdays before leaving for Pretoria at 02:00 on Thursdays,” she added.
Her weekly absences from home exacted an emotional toll on the family, as Candice has two other children.
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“It was very emotional and stressful being away from home and my other kids and as a result, I was forced to leave work so I could tend to Bailey.”
In June last year, Bailey underwent a tenotomy to release her Achilles tendon at Steve Biko Hospital in Pretoria, which has affected the family’s finances severely.
“In January this year, we started seeing a local orthopaedic surgeon at Mediclinic in Mbombela where a second tenotomy was done in April. Afterwards, she was given special boots with bars and an Ottobock to help her feet grow straight and push the hip back into place.”
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According to Candice, the prosthetic is not helping and Bailey is scheduled for a hip operation in August at Mediclinic. The family now rely primarily on dad Hugon’s salary and are facing mounting medical bills while doing everything in their power to ensure that Bailey will be able to lead a normal life.
Candice said, “It has been a tough journey and the financial strain has been overwhelming because I had to resign
from work to become her full-time caregiver.
“We are a family of five with one income and our medical aid is exhausted, so we are appealing to anyone who can assist us in getting Bailey to walk and have a full life.
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“She is a fighter and proves it every day by doing things we were told she would never be able to. At this stage, she is able to stand and crawl.
“As her mother, my biggest wish is to one day see her walking and running around with her siblings.”
Anyone who might be able to help with any donations, can contact Candice on 060-625- 5965 for more
information
