Help sought for Brenthurst mother fighting heart failure and other health challenges
The family struggles with medical care, food, and transport, and are asking for donations.
A Brenthurst woman is appealing to the community for support while her mother faces serious health challenges.
Anuschke Potgieter (25) said her mother, Sanet van Staden (51), suffers from heart failure, with the heart becoming so large that it rests on one of her lungs, making breathing extremely difficult. In addition, she struggles with diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
“The hospital is inconsistent with her treatment. One moment, they say she has kidney failure; the next, they say she doesn’t.
“They even stopped her heart medication, claiming it wasn’t helping, but since then her condition seems to be worsening,” she said.
Potgieter said that since her mother was placed on oxygen, electricity has become a major challenge.
“I reached out to a group in Brakpan, and they really came forward to help. Food is also a struggle, as I am the only one working as a pet sitter,” she said.
“My stepdad helps where he can, but we don’t have transport, which makes finding steady work difficult.
“We rely on daily jobs whenever something comes up. My mother wants to be active and help with chores. She cannot even clean anymore, and it’s heartbreaking to see her like this,” she said.
Potgieter said the family receives occasional support from the community, including food parcels from a local church.
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“We tried to open a BackaBuddy fund, but it did not yield results. What would make the biggest difference is if my mother could see a private doctor to receive the care she urgently needs,” said Potgieter.
“Our goal is to get her the best care possible, and we have to stay strong for her. We would appreciate donations of items.
“Nutritious meals are expensive and hard to maintain on our budget. We also need a wheelchair, as the current one broke on the way home from the hospital,” she said.
Anyone willing to donate or help the family can contact Potgieter on 069 907 4283.
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