Wheelchair brings happiness for mom of disabled daughter
It was a joyful moment when Getrude Sibiya managed to finally get a wheelchair for her daughter, Andiswa Thobela (14).
Andiswa received the wheelchair on Friday, November 12.
The past few months had been stressful and emotionally draining for Sibiya as she had to constantly visit her daughter in Tonga Hospital.
According to her mother, the doctors could not make a diagnosis for Andiswa when she suddenly stopped walking last year.
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“Her problem started with just her hands being sore, and before we knew it, her feet were also not functioning properly. She started walking slowly and eventually could not walk anymore. The doctors could not tell us what was wrong with her. This condition forced her to drop out of school,” she said.
Sibiya said it was difficult for her to cope, to such an extent that she had to stop working and take care of her child.
“I had to bathe and feed my child. It was becoming a difficult job to tackle on top of my salon business. I had to prioritise my child over my business. I could not afford a wheelchair for her, but I am happy things are going to be better now.”
A Good Samaritan who preferred to remain anonymous donated a wheelchair for Andiswa and the Department of Health has arranged medical check-ups for her. It promised to obtain a mobile wheelchair for her after assessing how serious her problem was.
The Department of Education also arranged for Andiswa to go back to school next year.
