Bereaved mother reaches out to community

A NGWELEZANE mother who lost her son last month after a two-year battle with cerebral palsy, believes her baby’s life was not in vain as she can now share her experience and knowledge with parents who have children with the same condition.

Hlopheh Biyela’s baby, Otto, was diagnosed soon after birth and spent most of his life in hospital receiving treatment.

Speaking to the 28-year-old mother on Monday, she is positive about life and wants to help make a difference in her community.

‘I believe God gave me the strength and wisdom to care for a child with special needs and I know my experience can help other parents.

‘Being exposed to the hospital environment taught me how to care for my child and I was able to administer treatment at home in his last weeks.

‘Owing to the extent of Otto’s condition, I could not maintain a job because I had to stay with him in hospital. Our longest stay was seven months.

‘Now my days are left void without him and I would like to get back on my feet, find a job and work towards my dream of opening a centre for children with this condition in memory of his life,’ she said.

Meanwhile Richards Bay community worker Sharon Mdletshe, who has been helping the young woman with counselling, is appealing to the business community to help her with a job.

‘I believe that working will help her healing process and being occupied in a job with help take her mind off her grief.

‘It will never make the pain go away, but it will help shift her focus to move forward and help realise her dream of opening a centre for cerebral palsy children,’ Mdletshe said.

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