KARIEGA – At 18 months old, Mi-Landri van Ghent is doing well and continuing to grow into a lively, curious toddler; a far cry from the critically ill baby she once was.
Mi-Landri, from Kariega, was just 10 weeks old when she was diagnosed with transposition of the great arteries (TGA), a life-threatening congenital heart condition in which the aorta and pulmonary arteries are reversed.
The condition required urgent surgery that could be performed only in Cape Town.
UD Express previously reported that after being stabilised at Cuyler Hospital and assessed by a cardiologist, Mi-Landri was transferred to Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, where she underwent life-saving heart surgery.
Within 24 hours, a community effort secured her a hospital bed and a private flight.
According to her mother, Stephanie van Ghent, Mi-Landri’s recovery has been remarkable.
“She’s one year and six months now, and she’s doing great. She goes for check-ups every six months to make sure there are no obstructions as she grows, and she sees her paediatrician every month to check her weight and make sure she’s growing properly,” she said.
Van Ghent added that Mi-Landri’s energy and friendliness often surprise people.
“She’s such a friendly baby. Wherever we go, she waves at everyone and smiles at everyone. She loves being outdoors. No one would ever say this is the baby who was so sick in hospital.”
Now keeping up with other children her age, Mi-Landri is active, expressive and meeting developmental milestones.
“She does everything other children her age do,” Van Ghent said proudly.
She’s learnt new words and calls everyone by name: ouma, oupa, mamma and dadda.
Van Ghent added that her daughter has developed her own ways of communicating her needs.
“When it’s time for a bath, she lets us know. If she points to the bedroom with her finger, we know she wants to go to bed. When she wants to show you something, she will call you and show you, and if she gets hurt she knows the word ‘eina’. She’s very clever for a little girl her age, especially after being in hospital for so long.”
For Van Ghent, Mi-Landri’s smile today represents more than happiness; it symbolises resilience.
“She went through a lot when she was a baby. She’s been loved by everyone, and to us she’s a miracle from God,” Van Ghent concluded.
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