Take a drive for Dune
The community is urged to support this family fun drive, and Tonya has a lot planned for the day.
A freak accident on July 21 this year has drastically changed the life of 15-year-old Dune Jansen van Vuuren of Ramsgate.
Dune was visiting a friend’s house when tragedy struck. The boys were fooling around with knives in the kitchen when the blade from one of the knives dislodged from the handle and pierced Dune’s right eye.
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Dune was taken to Gamalakhe Clinic and then transferred to McCord Provincial Eye Hospital in Durban where he underwent surgery in an attempt to save the eye.
He spent one week and four days in hospital.
Despite the surgeon repairing and rebuilding the structure around the eye, the retina detached from the optic nerve.
The damage is irreparable and he has lost the sight in that eye.
Dune is a bright teen who attended Port Shepstone High.
After his accident, his parents decided to take him out of school and he will be home-schooled from next year.
Dune has showed remarkable bravery during this ordeal, and is an inspiration.
“Dune is adamant that he will continue to live an ‘adapted’ life. I am so proud of him as he has been incredibly brave and positive,” said his mother, Tonya Jansen van Vuuren, who is a nursing sister.
His quirky sense of humour has gotten Tonya, or ‘Sister T’, as she is fondly known at Margate Retirement Village where she works, through some difficult moments.
Tonya recalls how Dune had just been wheeled out of casualty when he asked her if he would ever see again. He then quipped that if not, he wanted a blue prosthetic eye, just like singer David Bowie.
Dune’s life revolves around surfing and skating, and his new disability hasn’t stopped him from getting back into the ocean on his long board or to the street to skate.
“In the beginning I walked into a wall, but my body has since adapted and my other senses, like my hearing, have sharpened,” said an upbeat Dune.
However, the teen now needs to have his injured eye removed and replaced with a prosthesis.
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After they have visited the plastic surgeon and laboratory in Durban, the family will have a clearer idea how much this will cost.
However, the costs (and pre-costs) related to these kind of procedures usually amount to thousands of rands.
In the meantime, Tonya is trying to raise funds with the help of Dune’s father, Craig van Rensburg.
A fund-raiser called ‘Drive 4 Dune’ is to take place on Sunday, November 25.
The community is urged to support this family fun drive, and Tonya has a lot planned for the day.
The breakfast ride/drive will begin at the Ramsgate Lions Community Centre in Glenmarkie Road, Ramsgate, and proceed to Munster Motor Museum for breakfast.
The cavalcade will then move on to Hibiscus Ski-boat Club, and then lastly to Rocky Ridge where there will be live music.
More details will be published closer to the event.
Craig, an IT specialist, has set up a website: www.drive4dune.co.za and an email account: info@drive4dune.co.za for anyone who would like to help by sponsoring prizes, donating food, volunteering their time to help on the day or who simply want to follow Dune’s story.
Tonya says the community’s support has been tremendous, and she thanked everyone for their help and support.
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