Champion Dehan Campaign
Dehan Potgieter was born on the 15th of September 2023 at only 26 weeks gestation, his mother's diagnosed with heart failure and in order to have saved his life and hers the doctors performed an emergency C-section.
Dehan was immediately rushed to the NICU unit of Mediclinic Neslpruit, where his NICU journey started. Dehan's lungs collapsed, his liver was failing, his bladder was swollen, he has a thrombus in the heart and many other life-threatening conditions and occurrences happening to him his weight dropped from 995g at birth to only 959g. The doctors decided the best for Dehan will be to transport him to a better-equipped hospital in Pretoria. On the 4th of October 2023 his mom and stood and watched him being airlifted to Life Carstenhof Hospital in Midrand, when he arrived the doctors did some further testing and scans. On the 5th October 2023 Dehan was again transported to another hospital more equipped to deal with his condition.
Netcare Sunninghill in Sandton was already waiting for him at emergency when he arrived. He was in critical condition, ventilated, weak, swollen, yellow from jaundice (life threating for premature babies). His team at Sunninghill confirmed the Thrombus in the heart, his kidneys where enlarged due to his swollen bladder and he could not pass urine, a tiny 'make shift' catheter was inserted so he could urinate, his x-rays confirmed large white spots on the lungs, he's a high risk patient for stroke and fits. The MRI scan confirmed multiple brain bleeds and a thrombus in the back of the brain. His blood platelets count dropped to only 2 when it should be at least 50 but ideally 150.
His heart rate dropped to 40 bpm at times and he was placed on caffeine at only 30 weeks (corrected) and 4 weeks old. He was placed on blood thinners, and multiple antibiotics for various bacterial and fungal infections. He is currently still in Sunninghill hospital. His estimate for hospitalization can be another 7 weeks or even longer. His parents reside in Lydenburg and have to travel every weekend to visit him as they are working in Lydenburg and have a two year old son as well. Costs for travel, lodging and food amounts to R3000 a weekend visit, the family's medical bills not covered by medical aid is pouring in with more to come. His mother still needs a valve replacement on her heart, and Dehan will need specialty formula and monitors for his breathing and heartrate when he gets discharged.
The pregnancy with little Champion Dehan was unexpected for the family after experiencing the loss of their baby boy (middle child) in December of 2022 at only 8 days old to SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) They did not plan to have any more Children for at least another 2 years, but God had other plans, and even with contraception, Dehan was conceived, and is so very loved and wanted.
It will mean the world to his family if they can assure he has everything he will need when he gets discharged, all hospital bills can be paid and to be with him for as long and as frequent as possible when visiting him in hospital.
Thank you for opening your hearts.
