Grateful Parent Throws Party for Staff | Western Cape Government

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Grateful Parent Throws Party for Staff

5 September 2010

Lindokuhle Dlakavu celebrated her second birthday with the staff who nursed her back to health at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital on September 6, at the Staff Education Centre.

Her mother, Babalwa, never thought Lindokuhle would live to see her second birthday. The little girl had severe lung disease after getting adenovirus pneumonia as a baby. She was treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for many months and had to be resuscitated four times. Lindokuhle also spent several months recovering in the B2 ward.

Her mother decided to have Lindo's birthday party at the hospital in honour of the doctors and nurses who saved her life.

At the party Ms Dlakavu said: "The reason we are here is because of your beautiful job."

"Lindo is celebrating two years today, so I decided to come and celebrate it with you. You have done a good job of bringing her back to life. Who knew that Lindo would reach her second birthday but thanks to all your effort we are here to celebrate it."

"Most of you know that Lindo was very sick - in and out of ICU. I had already lost hope but you kept praying for her, giving me strength and hope that she would be fine."

"I remember that time, my dad was also sick, my family were going up and down, sometimes they were here or sometimes they went to visit my dad. Some of the nurses would say: 'Leave Lindo, go home and rest we will look after her."

"I didn't want to because I didn't trust them. I used to say: You want to kill my baby."

"As she kept being admitted others said: Don't worry, she will be fine, go home."

"I gave up, I left her."

"When I came back some of the other mothers who were there told me that Lindo was taken care of. The nurses changed her nappies, bathed her and gave her food. So I started trusting them and leaving Lindo with them."

"I want to thank all of you. Sometimes you hear people say negative things about nurses but not all of them have a bad attitude, some of them are good nurses."

"We parents sometimes have bad attitudes towards the nurses but, from what I have seen of them, they are supportive, loving, caring people, always smiling."

"I want to say, keep it up!"

Media Enquiries: 

Lauren O'Connor
Principal Communications Officer
Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital
Tel: 021 658 5448
Cell: 084 586 1413
Fax: 021 658 5333
Email: rxhpro@pgwc.gov.za