Young woman can now face world with a smile

LYDENBURG – It is definitely a different Ennika Mahkge who greeted the newspaper when it recently paid a visit to her at her home in Mashishing.

The once extremely shy and reluctant young woman now has the confidence to look up and smile after she underwent an extensive six-hour reconstructive operation performed at Mediclinic Kloof last year June.

Ennika was born with total arrhinia (born without a nose), which means she has neither internal nor external nasal organs.

The surgery was performed by Dr Hermann Kluge, a maxillofacial and oral surgeon, along with Dr Cules van den Heever (prosthodontist) and Dr Johan Kluge (ear, nose and throat surgeon).

What makes Ennika’s operation so much more extraordinary is the fact that there have only been 50 recorded cases of total arrhinia. Her surgery is the first of its kind in South Africa and only the third time it has been performed globally.

She was also provided with a unique external prosthesis that resembles a very lifelike nose.

Ennika smiles when she gets complimented on her new nose. By her side, as always, is her sister Poppie. The two sisters live in a one-bedroom RDP house and lives of their disability grants.

Their mother passed away some two years ago and since then, they had to fend for themselves.

Ms Lani Visser who has helped Ennika before, during and after the surgery, says that she now has more confidence to walk around in public.

The two sisters also adopted a very lively little dog which they named Zigi. Questioned whether it is her boyfriend’s name, Ennika starts giggling and shyly lets out a very distinct “no”.

She has also enrolled in Adult Basic Education and Training (Abet) classes. Both sisters want to be teachers and work with children.

Ennika, however, says wants to move to Johannesburg one day to teach. I want to get my own flat.” Questioned whether Poppie would accompany her to the big city, Ennika shakes her head saying that Poppie must stay behind in Lydenburg.

She also celebrated her birthday last week Friday. “I am 20 now,” she smiles. She tells the newspaper that she even threw a party with 10 friends. “I had a cake and Coke.”

Formerly shying away from pictures, Ennika is happy to have her picture taken for all the newspaper articles that have been written about her remarkable surgery. Asked to strike a model pose, she turns her body sideways and confidently smiles at the camera.

Questioned whether she is happy with her new nose, she answers with no hesitation; “Yes, I am very happy.”