Parents have no money to fix son’s monstrous lip
Since doctors in Zimbabwe cut off the external part of the tongue, his lower lip started growing
By Jantji Ngwenyama
A one-year-old boy in Tembisa is in desperate need of help to cover the medical costs to repair his still growing lower lip.
Prosper Mathe was born with an overgrown tongue, which hung out of his mouth. Since doctors in Zimbabwe cut off the external part of the tongue, his lower lip started growing.
According to his mother, Moditor Shoko, the doctors in Zimbabwe suspect the condition to be haemangioma, a benign, non-cancerous tumour of the cells, called endothelial cells, which normally line the blood vessels.
In haemangiomas, the endothelial cells multiply at an abnormally rapid rate. This collection of small blood vessels then forms a lump in or under the skin.
“Doctors in Zimbabwe tried to treat him for haemangioma, but his lower lip started to grow indefinitely,” said his father, Gilfred Mathe.
Mathe said he took Prosper to Tembisa Hospital where he was diagnosed and then transferred to Steve Biko Academic Hospital, in Pretoria.
He said they were told at both hospitals that, if they did not have South African documentation, the cost of the operation on their son would not be less than R30 000.
“A second group of doctors scanned my son and told us they were going to cut out a piece of his lip for a laboratory examination, which they didn’t do, for reasons unknown to us,” said Mathe.
The family was told go back home and wait for a call from the hospital, which they have not received yet.
“We only have a card from Steve Biko Hospital. It has no doctors’ details,” said the father, who makes a living out of menial supermarket jobs.
He added that a private doctor in Sandton quoted more than R300 000 for an operation and treatment of his child.“The doctor promised to talk to his colleagues and get back to us with a possible solution, but we never heard from him again,” said Mathe.
“All we want is for our son to get help.”
Anyone who can provide assistance can contact Tembisan journalist Jantji Ngwenyama, who will put them in contact with the family. His numbers are 011 970-3030 or 083 967 9222.
