Rare disease, unstoppable spirit: Wilderness toddler breathes on his own after near-fatal health battle
After surviving cardiac arrest, kidney failure and 13 days on a ventilator, little Juván Havenga's recovery has given his family a moment they feared might never come.
A 15-month-old toddler from Wilderness, Juván Havenga, who has been fighting for his life in hospital, has retaken his first independent breaths after 13 days of sedation and multiple back-to-back anaesthetics.
George Herald reports that his mother, Adelizé, shared the joyful update on Facebook this morning.
“Juván is out of theatre and safely extubated! Our warrior is breathing on his own again, with just a little help from high flow for support. But he is doing it! He is here! He is strong! I couldn’t hold back the tears when I heard his little cry again. That sound was the most beautiful music to my heart.”
Juván’s story began nearly a year ago when he was diagnosed with autoimmune enteropathy, an extremely rare and chronic condition where the immune system attacks the small intestine.
What started as a seemingly routine case of rotavirus in June 2024 quickly turned into a prolonged and complex medical battle involving TPN feeding, genetic testing and multiple hospital stays.
After months in Mediclinic Panorama under the care of a paediatric gastroenterologist, a diagnosis finally brought clarity and direction. But complications have been constant, including kidney failure, sepsis, and even cardiac arrest on June 8 this year.
Against all odds, Juván pulled through.
But just days ago, the picture looked drastically different when the storm hit the Havenga family on June 8.
Kidney failure, sepsis, metabolic acidosis, respiratory arrest and cardiac arrest.
The medical team resuscitated him, but on June 9, doctors asked the family to prepare for the worst.
“If you cannot go on, Mommy understands. But if you can fight, Mommy will fight with you,” Adelizé told her son.
Then came a miracle. Juván began to urinate, a sign that his metabolic balance was returning.
Today, more than a week later, Juván is still here, and he is recovering.
“This is a moment we prayed for. A moment we’ll never forget. Thank you to every incredible doctor, professor, nurse and therapist who stood by him. Your hands carried him, but we know who holds him. Thank you, Lord,” Adelizé posted on Juván’s Facebook page, Juván’s Miracle Mission.
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Read original story on www.georgeherald.com
