When 22-year-old Gilfred Mathe and his girlfriend Moditor
Shoko, 20 found out they were going to have a baby three years ago, they were
over the moon. But their joy soon turned to shock when their son, Prosper
Mathe, was born with a very long tongue hanging out of his mouth.
They hoped Prosper would get better as he got older, but the
tongue just carried on growing and growing. After a while, the child couldn’t
eat any more. He had to be put on a drip. Eventually the boy was operated on
and his tongue was made shorter.
"The operation went well" Gilfred said. "We
thought the problem was over, but we were just fooling ourselves. We soon
noticed Prosper’s lower lip had been dragged down and stretched by the weight
of the tongue but again we thought it would come right by itself."
The family has moved to Phomolong in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni to
start a new life but Prosper's problems have followed them there. The child’s
lower lip has continued swelling and he now finds it hard to eat.
Gilfred said he took the boy to a number of doctors but was
told it would cost R18 000 for an operation. He works at a restaurant and
cannot afford the operation on his current salary.
"I just ask myself why God had to punish me in this
way. I hope someone out there can help Prosper."
Plastic surgeon Kelly Martin told Daily Sun Prosper could
have a malformed blood vessel in his lips and tongue. Dr. Martin took the
family’s details and promised to arrange for a consultation with the little
boy.
Post a Comment