Baby Juván finally discharged from hospital after more than a year

Update

GEORGE NEWS - After more than a year of surgeries, setbacks, and countless prayers, 15-month-old “Miracle Baby” Juván Havenga from Wilderness has finally been discharged from hospital.

His mother, Andelizé Havenga, described the moment as a milestone the family will never forget.

“After more than a year of hospital stays, surgeries, lines, and countless prayers, our miracle baby Juván is finally discharged! A heartfelt and endless thank you to Dr Ströbele, who has become part of Juván’s miracle story, and to the entire medical team and every nurse who stood by us day and night. Your dedication, compassion, and tireless care gave us hope on the hardest days and carried us to this moment. Thank you Dr Harilial for all the miracles Doctor have done for us and Juván,” she wrote.

Juván was diagnosed with autoimmune enteropathy (AIE), a rare and life-threatening condition that prevents his body from absorbing food. He relies on total parenteral nutrition (TPN), delivered through a Broviac line directly into his heart.

Earlier this year, complications led to kidney failure, sepsis, metabolic and respiratory arrest, and even cardiac arrest. He was resuscitated and spent 16 days on a ventilator. Against all odds, he survived with no brain damage.

Since then, he has undergone intensive rehabilitation and therapy.

Slowly but surely, he is reclaiming his world – learning to sit again, to eat and drink, and to breathe on his own without the tubes and wires that once surrounded him.

“It may seem small, but for us it’s a miracle,” Andelizé said earlier this year.

“Every wobble, every effort, every tear and every smile shows his courage. We are so proud of our warrior boy. One day at a time, one milestone at a time.”