Appeal for help to restore Centurion boy’s hearing

A 13-year-old boy from Centurion, Zuan Brümmer, is battling severe hearing loss that is increasingly holding him back from school, social interactions, and daily life.

Brümmer’s ability to connect with the world around him is slipping away as his hearing continues to deteriorate.

His mother, Louise, explained that his struggle began when he was just a baby.

“When he was three weeks old, he contracted scarlet fever, which left him very ill. The doctors assumed that was when he actually lost his hearing,” she said.

“By the age of two, when he still was not speaking, I became concerned, but people told me I was paranoid. Eventually, tests confirmed he was deaf, and he got his first hearing aids eight months after he turned two.”

Brümmer, who has been diagnosed with severe to profound hearing loss, has been using hearing aids ever since.

The likely cause of his hearing loss is a combination of enlarged vestibular aqueduct (inner ear canal) syndrome and complications from scarlet fever.

Although he is growing up in a supportive and loving family, Louise admitted that the diagnosis was devastating.

“Hearing that your baby is deaf is never easy. It felt like all the dreams I had for him, like playing sports, were blown out the window,” she said.

Despite the challenges, Louise said her son has grown into an energetic and determined child.

However, she explained that his hearing loss increasingly holds him back.

“He is very far behind in reading and writing. At this stage, he struggles a lot to hear even with his current hearing aids, so doing his schoolwork becomes more difficult as each day passes.”

Socially, however, Brümmer thrives.

“Friendships are no problem for him. He loves people and interacting with everyone. He is an extrovert,” she said.

But emotionally, the journey is hard.

“It is difficult when he asks me why he does not have normal ears like other kids. I tell him that he does, but his answer is always, ‘but they are not working’. How do you explain that to a child?”

Louise admitted that she always hoped they would never reach the stage where a cochlear implant (an electronic device to improve hearing) was necessary, but she knew it was possible.

With his hearing aids no longer effective, especially in his right ear, the family has run out of options.

His audiologist, Petro Groenewald, emphasised that the implant was urgent.

“This procedure would be life-changing for him, and it is our only option,” said Louise.

She is urgently appealing for help from the public to raise funds for her son’s surgery, which could give him the chance to hear clearly again.

She said the total cost, including the procedure, amounts to R396 291, of which the family’s medical aid only covers R148 647, leaving a shortfall of R247 645.

“The surgery is scheduled for September 15 at the Waterkloof Club Surgical Centre in Hazelwood, but the costs are overwhelming.

“We just want him to have his hearing back, because each day without sound is a setback in every way for him,” said Louise.

“Without the operation, he risks losing his speech, which we worked so hard to develop.”

Louise said the Hearing Loss Foundation has stepped in to sponsor some of the pre-operative tests, including MRI and CT scans, but the bulk of the costs remain.

“It is very stressful because I do not have the expertise to run a campaign like this on my own, but a lady called Annette Cronje has helped me to start raising funds,” she said.

She added that the generosity from community members who have helped so far has been overwhelming.

“The community is amazing in supporting us. Zuan is such a loving, God-fearing child. Despite all his challenges, his personality shines through, and he touches people’s souls. To anyone who considers donating, I want to say you are not only giving him access to sound, you are giving him the chance to grow, learn, and live out his dreams,” she said.

For the family, the fundraising effort is about more than just medical expenses; it is about allowing him to live his life to the fullest.

“Donating to Zuan makes a world of difference. It gives him back his sound, his voice, and his future,” added Louise.

Cronje, who has been active in community aid for years, has taken it upon herself to lead the fundraising effort and help the Brümmer family.

“I have known the family for many years through my work. When I heard about their situation, I felt we had to step in and help,” she said.

“They have exhausted all their funds, and without help, this surgery would not happen.”

Cronje is currently handling donations personally to ensure everything goes directly toward the operation.

“People can contact me to make donations on 083 663 3790, and once the funds clear, I will confirm with the donor. When I transfer to the hospital account, I send them proof of payment,” she said.

She emphasised that donations are not wasted.

“Every cent goes straight to the hospital. There may be small bank fees, but otherwise, the money is not used for anything else.”

Cronje noted that the family is working against a tight deadline.

“The goal is to raise the funds by September 10, because the operation is booked for the 15th. If we do not raise the shortfall in time, the operation will not go ahead.”

In addition to financial donations, Cronje said some community members are also helping by providing vouchers that can be sold to raise funds.

However, there is not enough time to plan events or campaigns.

“We reached out to many, but unfortunately, there just is not time for something big. That is why we appeal directly to the community to help,” she explained.

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