Little Sisipho Yose, 11, recently received a real-life miracle when, within just seven days, a donor heart became available, allowing him to undergo a successful transplant surgery.
The transplant came as Sisipho was on ECMO life support at a specialist hospital in Johannesburg, after a lengthy battle with his heart that started in 2021.
His father, Mbongeni, says the family is incredibly relieved now that Sisipho is on the road to recovery.
“When we first got the news, excitement and multiple shouts of ‘amen’ took over my life. I was very grateful to hear that God had answered our prayers so quickly. I had mixed emotions, but my hope rested in God.
“I was ready to accept any feedback, but the more I prayed, the more I gained confidence from the team of doctors who performed this transplant. Sisipho is slowly recovering, and he is under the good care of the heart specialists. It is till too early to tell, but his journey to recovery seems bright and promising,” Yose said.
When Sisipho started grade 1 at Voorpos Primary School in 2020, there were no suspicions that he would find himself dealing with heart problems that would keep him from getting a good education and enjoying sport with his friends.
In 2021, Sisipho felt sick with a running stomach and was vomiting non-stop. His parents initially thought it was just a stomach bug but after lots of research and a few doctors visits, it was found that he had a post-Covid-19 infection that had badly affected the muscles of his heart.
According to his father, some of the challenges Sisipho was faced with made it very difficult for him to enjoy life as an 11-year-old.
“He had shortness of breath, even on sunny days. He couldn’t walk long distances, and he would often become nauseous when he was hungry.
“He was always tired. When we met the cardiologist in Gqeberha, it was not easy to accept the condition of his heart. It was a very traumatic time for our family because we had fears that we were loosing our son as his situation was failing,” Yose said.
The Voorpos family and community came out in full support; a Facebook post on the school’s page calling for prayers for Sisipho received hundreds of shares, likes and comments.
The school’s foundation department head Alice Grobbelaar said Sisipho had been an exceptional pupil, despite his health difficulties.
“His health challenges prevented him from attending school in 2021 but he courageously returned in 2022 and thrived academically despite missing an entire year. From grade 2 to 4, he continued to battle his condition, yet remained a dedicated, well-mannered, and beloved pupil. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has stood by them during this difficult time and extend our heartfelt prayers to the donor’s family, who suffered a great loss while giving Sisipho a second chance at life,” Grobbelaar said.
Sisipho’s father has expressed his gratitude to the anonymous donor’s family for their act of kindness.
“To the family who donated this precious heart to our child, we will forever be thankful to God for what you have done.
“You have shown sacrificial love, even though you didn’t know us, but you have demonstrated that when one life is lost, the other person can survive.
“I encourage everyone out there to look at organ donation as ways and means to save lives, whether it be kidney, heart or other organs.This experience has changed me completely; and altered my experience and how I see life altogether,” Yose said.
For more information on organ donation, visit the Organ Donor Foundation website at www.odf.org.za.
