SPECIAL EVENT:
From surgery to celebration: KZN toddler blows out birthday candles for the first time
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa — Three-year-old Nzulu from KwaZulu-Natal recently blew out his birthday candles for the first time, a milestone made possible by the cleft lip and palate surgeries he received through Operation Smile South Africa’s (OSSA) comprehensive cleft care programme in his first two years of life. This milestone comes in a year where Operation Smile has provided access to specialised free surgery for just over 150 patients, contributing to a total of more than 500 life-changing surgeries to date.
As the year draws to a close, Nzulu’s family reflects on the life-changing support that has transformed their son’s journey.
“We were overjoyed when we learned that Nzulu could receive free cleft care through Operation Smile,” his parents say. “We had researched how expensive bilateral cleft lip and palate repair can be and knowing this support was available free of charge through Operation Smile, gave us hope. We are truly blessed and grateful.”
Nzulu’s family first heard about Operation Smile when the NGO conducted a cleft awareness training near their former home in rural Bizana, Eastern Cape for Community Healthcare Workers (CHW). The workshop equipped local CHWs with essential skills to identify cleft conditions and refer families to Operation Smile’s free surgical and support services. It was here that Nzulu’s parents – then caring for a newborn just weeks old – learned that specialised cleft care was available at no cost.
The post From surgery to celebration: KZN toddler blows out birthday candles for the first time appeared first on The Home Of Great South African News.
Three-year-old Nzulu from KwaZulu-Natal recently blew out his birthday candles for the first time
The post From surgery to celebration: KZN toddler blows out birthday candles for the first time appeared first on The Home Of Great South African News. Read More
