Baby Claire Swanepoel

Our baby girl Claire has been fighting for her life since the day she was born.

Born on 19 March 2025 — 12 weeks too early — Claire entered the world at just 28 weeks, weighing less than a bag of sugar. Nothing could have prepared us for the shock of being told we had to deliver so early… or for the terrifying unknown that followed.

Those first moments were filled with fear, but Claire came out fighting. And for the past 63 days, she has continued to fight through more than most adults will ever face.

At just three weeks old, Claire’s condition suddenly turned critical. She had two severe resuscitations after hemorrhaging into her lungs — moments where we thought we might lose her. We watched, helpless and heartbroken, as doctors fought to bring her back. Ten days later, still so tiny and fragile, she underwent urgent PDA ligation surgery to correct a heart condition that threatened her life. It was performed at Sunninghill Hospital — the only place that could do it in time — but sadly, it’s outside our medical aid network.

Claire is still in the NICU at Da...