Springs sees singer’s act of kindness to sick boy
Well-known Afrikaans musician Juanita du Plessis met cancer sufferer Jordan van Tonder backstage at her concert at the Springs Civic Centre on Friday.
This meeting the six-year-old Boksburg resident, who was diagnosed with Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (MTC) in October last year, will treasure for the rest of his life.
MTC is the third most common type of thyroid cancer.
The moment Jordan saw Juanita, his eyes lit up, he straightened his hair and looked at her with great admiration.
The singer picked him up and shared a few special words with him, words he will never forget.
He described the moment as “very, very special”.
While his mother Eileen van Tonder (42), explained to Juanita what the cancer entails, Jordan constantly looked at the singer with a shy, but proud smile.
Juanita said “we are proud of you” and added “nothing is impossible to God”.
He has always been a Juanita fan, but the admiration grew when his thyroid was removed in Netcare Sunward Park Hospital on November 6, 2015.
Eileen says after the operation Jordan was placed in a coma for two weeks as the trauma was too severe for his tiny body.
She continuously played one of Juanita’s CDs featuring Ek lê jou by Jesus se voete neer.
“It was the only way I could pray at the time,” she says.
Slowly recovering from the coma, Jordan took his mother’s phone one day and played the song.
He informed his mother that he wants to take ‘Junanita’, as he calls the famous singer, on a date to have coffee with her.
Juanita agreed to this appointment but requested cake with the coffee, which Jordan accepted with a smile.
This meeting with his favourite singer, will forever be embedded in his memory, something he can proudly tick off his bucket list.
