#WomensMonth: Janet lives life as a gift
Gillitts resident, Janet Legemaate is the brains behind Hero777, an organisation focussed on raising awareness about organ and tissue donation primarily in KZN.
BEING a woman in this day and age, one has to be able to wear a myriad of hats. From a nurturing mother and supportive sister to a loving wife or strong single parent, a woman is also someone who is able to hold a successful career while playing an invaluable role in her community and home. This week, as we conclude our Women’s Month feature, we chat to Janet Legemaate.
“Remember there is nothing new under the sun, which means every difficult situation you face has been successfully faced by someone else. You need to find this person and draw encouragement from them. One thing I have always tried to do (sometimes I do not succeed) is to choose to be, and to look, at every situation from a positive outlook,” said Legemaate.
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August is also Organ Awareness Month and Legemaate is the brains behind Hero777, an organisation focussed on raising awareness about organ and tissue donation primarily in KZN.
The organisation came about in July 2017 when her 19-year-old son, Matthew, had not been given a long time to live.
Matthew was born with a congenital heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot and severe pulmonary atresia. In layman’s terms, he had a three chambered heart with no pulmonary valve and the heart and lungs were not attached as they should have been.
“He would not have survived without immediate surgery. On the evening we received the call that there was a donor for Matthew, I was initially unbelieving, then I became emotional as I thought of the family who had lost their loved one. This emotion and gratefulness has spurred me on to ensure that donor families in KZN have a special place to remember the special gifts their family member has given. The New Circle of Life Memorial Garden at the Durban Botanic Gardens is just that place.
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“Matthew had been waiting for a heart and double lung transplant since he was 13 and his condition had deteriorated significantly. We talked to Matthew about his condition and he asked us to register 50 000 people as organ and tissue donors in his memory.
“Hero777 was birthed from this discussion. Our aim is to raise awareness about organ and tissue donation through whatever means is possible, social media, various events, sporting events and most recently creating a beautiful Memorial Garden at the Durban Botanic Gardens which was opened this past weekend,” she said.
The brave Legemaate said their faith has been a major contributing factor to them handling of what they are presented with.
She said they also had many years to understand the restrictions Matthew lived under as he had his first open heart surgery at 36 hours of age.
“A further four surgeries and many interventions happened between then and when he was 10 years old. Once he went on oxygen and on the transplant waiting list at 13 years of age, we quickly understood the limited chance he had of having a transplant. This has spurred us on to do more awareness in the hope that we can help at least one other family not to go through what we did,” she said.
Give the gift of life
Legemaate appealed to people to consider being organ and tissue donors.
“Organ and tissue donation is an altruistic gift that results in someone’s life being saved or changed for the better. The recipient and family members are forever changed and extremely grateful.
This brave woman is also a mother to Luke who is another special child as he was born with Prader-Willi Syndrome.
“We have a close relationship and deal with the issues this brings as best we can. Matthew and Luke have a typical brother like relationship which means they often argue but they have each other’s backs. As both have needed special care in the past there is no jealousy of special attention given to one and not the other,” she said.
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If she does find herself spare time, Legemaate said she loves to potter in her garden, talk to her chickens, read books, crochet or knit for charity and volunteer at the Kloof and Highway SPCA.
To find out more about organ and tissue donation or to register, visit www.hero777.co.za, www.odf.org.za or @hero777.
“The most important thing is to ensure that your family know your wishes. Talk to them about your decision,” advised Legemaate.
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