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Helping hand needed for Lerato’s arm
NCEBA DLADLA
Town waiting for the doctor we were told was going to assist her. The doctor was overseas,” said Nolubabalo, adding that they were then told to go back home and would be called when the doctor was back. They have not called to date. Teachers have noticed that the size of the arm affects Lerato’s hand-writing badly. As she cannot use her right-arm she was taught from birth to use the left arm instead. Her arm is also negatively impacting onher coordination. “Her posture is not
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EACHERS from Mbasa Primary School in Motherwell have vowed to find help for one of their young pupils whose right arm is deformed owing to what is believed to be elephantiasis. Since little Lerato Tom (8) was born with her right arm bigger than her left, her parents Mervin Frolick (37) and Nolubabalo Tom (28) of NU13 in Motherwell, have been sent from doctor to doctor without any solution. Even a visit to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, left them without answers. Elephantiasis is a disease that is characterised by the thickening of the skin and underlying tissues. It sometimes leads to marked swelling of the body part that is affected. “I taught Lerato in Grade 1 last year but was concerned when I noticed that her right arm was bigger than her left arm. I thought she may have been hurt or beaten up, then I took her to the Head of Department (HOD) Ntombizanele Dilimeni,” said Lerato’s former class teacher Thembisa Soya. They reported the matter to the principal, Phopho Mayekiso, who advised that they arrange a meeting with the parents. “We were stunned to learn that Lerato was born like this,” said Dilimeni. Lerato (whose name means Love), is her parents’ first-born and was born at Dora Nginza Hospital in August 2006 with her right arm bigger than the left arm - which is her natural size. According to Nolubabalo, Lerato has been seen by doctors at both Dora Nginza and Livingstone hospitals. They even took her to the Red Cross Hospital about three times but could not get help. “The last occasion was in August 2009 when we spent the whole month in Cape
Elephantiasis is a disease that is characterised by the thickening of the skin and underlying tissues. It sometimes leads to marked swelling of the body part that is affected.
Loving Mother Nolubabalo Tom with her daughter Lerato who needs help with her deformed arm. PHOTO:NCEBA DLADLA
right. Even the way she sits when writing, is not good. When we do Physical Education, her eye-hand coordination is badly affected. She can’t catch, hold or kick the ball,” said Dilimeni. According to Dilimeni they need community assistance to help her as the severity of the problem was outside of the scope of the education department. “The child is brilliant. This whole thing does not affect her intellectual capacity. She passed last year,” Soya was quick to add. Mayekiso bought the pupil a sling to help her hold her hand. Red Cross Hospital’s Public Relations Officer Angelique Jordaan who is new in the position promised to investigate the matter and come back to PE Express Indaba for comment.
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