BY NOTHANDO DUBE

Nosizi Ndlovu had almost given up hope that her 10-year-old son would ever have a normal life after he was struck by a disease that disfigured one of his legs seven years ago.

Mzomuhle from Hwange was struck by the Bount’s disease, a condition found in children that affects the growth plates around the knee.

According to John Hopkins Medicines, the disease causes the growth plate near the inside of the knee to either slow down or stop making new bone while the growth plate near the outside of the knee continues to grow normally.

This results in a bowlegged appearance in one or both legs.

Mzomuhle started suffering from the disease at the age of three and by the time he underwent successful surgery at the newly set up CURE Children’s Hospital in Bulawayo aged ten, Ndlovu was on the verge of giving up.

But after the successful operation in August, she is full of hope.

“His leg had dislocated, and they had to cut a bone to straighten it but we almost gave up on his leg because of resource constraints,” Ndlovu said.

“The first surgery had cost us US$ 3 800, and we did not know how we were going to raise a similar amount of money for further surgeries until in June this year when I was referred by a nurse at one of our hospitals here in Hwange to CURE.

Mzomuhle was booked for surgery on August 18 and the process was at no cost right from consultation.

“He underwent a successful surgery at no cost, and he is recovering very well, although he is still limping but with no pain,” said Ndlovu looking relieved.

Mzomuhle is due for a review in January next year but says he is happy because the successful surgery has allowed him to focus on his schoolwork and sports.

CURE’s chief executive officer Jonathan Simpson said the institution set up at the United Bulawayo Hospital this year was to offer children like Mzomuhle a second chance in life.

Simpson said according to research, approximately 300 000 children in Zimbabwe are living with Mzomuhle’s condition.

“We specialise in congenital orthopaedic disorders like club foot, bowlegs, Blount disease and many more,” he said.

“We also do some burn contracture work, and our research of Ministry of Health reports indicate that there are over 300 000 children in Zimbabwe with some form of treatable disorder that we can treat or operate on, so it is important for someone who has child like this to go to their nearest hospital or clinic and get a medical referral.”

Simpson said they had been receiving an overwhelming number of children that have orthopaedic disorders, but he believes more need access to their services.

“Parents can phone (08677192320), or WhatsApp (0772696481) us and they will be put on a waiting list,” he said.

“All costs, once admitted, are covered by our organization such as X-rays, blood tests, ward surgery, prosthesis and many more tests.

“We operate on any child regardless of financial ability to pay.”

“As a Christian organisation our drive comes from the Bible verse in Luke 9:2 that says: ‘And he called the 12 together and gave them power and authority and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal’

“So as an organisation, we take the social spiritual side of our work as seriously as we do our medical side.”

Cure Zimbabwe is the first and only hospital in the country that provides orthopaedic care for disabilities such as clubfoot, bowed legs, and knock knees to children regardless of their economic status, its website says.

Refurbished by the Zimbabwe Orthopaedic Trust in partnership with the government, the teaching hospital has 13 beds, three operating theatres and an outpatient clinic.