R’fontein! CJ’s fundraiser event is on the horizon.
The day of the incident, while playing with the other children at a family gathering, CJ suddenly collapsed.
On 5 May, a fundraiser will be held at the AGS Church in Randgate for Christo (CJ) Kotze, 6, who collapsed while playing on a slippery slide early in January.
Pastor Willie Botha and the Letzi Lottering Music School will be present at the fundraiser, and Laerskool Rapportryer’s Junior Choir will be performing.
Entrance will be R50 for adults, and R30 for learners. There will be refreshments on sale, including hot dogs and pancakes. The family is asking the community to join them on the day to help improve the quality of CJ’s life.
CJ has made miraculous progress since the incident, but there is a strong possibility that he is suffering from a rare disease.
The day of the incident, while playing with the other children at a family gathering, CJ suddenly collapsed. When he stopped breathing, his father tried to resuscitate him. However, no-one could find CJ’s pulse. His parents rushed him to a private hospital in the area where he was declared dead on arrival. Doctors worked hard to resuscitate him, applying electric shocks to his heart (defibrillation). Eventually, a faint heartbeat was detected.
The Herald visited CJ on 15 March, and found him walking around, and playing with his sister. When asked about his progress, his mother, Charlene Kotze, said he needs to go to Sunninghill Hospital for a day, where he will be monitored while he is on a rotation bed.
His symptoms point to Long QT syndrome (LQTS), a rare heart condition that can be congenital and inherited or acquired. It is a disorder of the heart’s electrical activity. It can cause sudden, uncontrollable, dangerous arrhythmia – problems with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat – during exercise or stress.
These episodes may lead to fainting and sudden death due to ventricular fibrillation. Episodes may be brought on by various forms of stimulation, such as contact sport, or even if water is splashed in the sufferer’s face.
“CJ hardly sleeps during the night, and can be extremely hyperactive. His vision has returned to almost normal. The doctors told us that his medication causes him not to sleep,” said Charlene. “He has slight brain damage, and acts younger than his age. Although his speech is slightly affected, he is able to speak. He cannot eat by himself, and needs to be fed.”
Ina and Johan Kotze, CJ’s grandparents, both 69, help Charlene and Jan, CJ’s father, with the night shifts.
CJ is off the nappies he had to wear, and tells his family when he needs to go to the toilet. Unfortunately, the family’s medical aid didn’t cover the ICU or emergency care and they are battling to pay all the bills. CJ’s medication is also very costly, and at the moment the family is without a vehicle.
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