Boy with birth defect just wants to go to school

A Mthatha grandmother is desperately seeking help for her seven-year-old grandson, who was born without part of his genitalia.

Nolindikhaya Shumane, from Slovo Park informal settlement in Mthatha, has been taking care of her grandson since his mother died nine months after giving birth to him.

Shumane, 62, told the Dispatch that the boy, a foster-care grant recipient, has the normal two testes, but only a hole where his penis is supposed to be. 

Her grandson has to use diapers as, when nature calls, he cannot hold his urine. His condition also means he is unable to attend school.

“It’s traumatising him a lot. He cannot play outside as other children laugh at him for wearing diapers,” said Shumane.

“He always comes back crying after he goes to play outside. He is a normal, playful child and can do anything. He loves making me tea every day when he wakes up, but gets sad very quickly when he sees his cousins going to school. This affects him mentally too.”

Shumane said leaving her grandson for even an hour was impossible.

“I have to ask one of his cousins to look after him when I have to go to town or anywhere.”

She has taken the boy to many doctors but to date none have been able to help.

Shumane has to borrow money for diapers.

“He uses about 10 or more a day. Even when I buy a box that has over 100 diapers, they last a week or two. I’m making a plea to doctors who can help us. This is costing us a lot. I ask people to help by buying him diapers too.

“Sometimes he asks me when he can be helped by doctors to be normal. I don’t have an answer to that. In church, I pray for a miracle to relieve him of his daily misery. We are all affected by this, and my wish for him is for doctors to operate and fix him.”

She said it was the first time the family had such complications, though her brother was born deaf.

“We don’t know what caused it and we don’t blame God either. We just need help.”

The energetic boy, who wants to be a soldier when he grows up, is longing to go to school like other children his age.

“I don’t want to be like this all my life,” he said. “I want to stop wearing diapers and be able to play with my mates.”

There is light at the end of the tunnel, however.

Provincial health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said doctors at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha might be able to assist him.

“We have not been able to establish the facts and we are not at liberty to discuss a patient’s medical condition,” he said.

“However, the doctors have agreed to see the patient as soon as he’s able to visit the hospital.”

Shumane said she would be able to raise funds to travel to the hospital on Monday.