Update
GEORGE NEWS - One year after the doctors spent 27 minutes performing CPR to save his life, little Juván Havenga from Wilderness is once again showing us why he is known as a miracle boy.
This two-year-old, who has spent much of his life battling the rare and life-threatening condition autoimmune enteropathy, was recently discharged from hospital again after another serious setback.
According to his mother, Adelizé, recent allergy testing confirmed that Juván is highly allergic to both egg white and egg yolk. The family was unaware of this, and a small amount of egg was introduced to his diet.
Juván became critically ill and developed severe complications.
“For two weeks, Juván could not keep anything down. It made him so sick that he went into acute diarrhoea and developed refeeding syndrome,” Adelizé explained.
He lost 1.4kg during the episode, and the doctors closely monitored his fragile condition and considered a return to intravenous feeding (TPN) if his digestive system did not stabilise.
The main challenge was bringing the diarrhoea under control and allowing his gut to recover.
Thankfully, after what the family described as a miracle, Juván’s condition began improving, and he was discharged from hospital. His digestive system is now slowly recovering, and he is steadily regaining weight at a rate of 70g to 100g per day.
“We see signs that his body and his little intestines are finally starting to recover,” Adelizé said.
The 27-minute campaign
This latest health scare came almost exactly a year after one of the most devastating moments in the Havenga family’s journey.
On 8 June last year, doctors and nurses performed CPR on Juván for 27 minutes after his heart had stopped.
“Twenty-seven minutes that felt like a lifetime,” his mother recalled. “Filled with fear, prayers, tears and uncertainty. But God had other plans.”
To mark the anniversary of his second chance at life, the Havenga family has launched the ‘27 Minutes. One Miracle’ campaign to help fund his ongoing medical care, therapy and rehabilitation.
The initiative encourages supporters to donate R27 in honour of the 27 minutes doctors spent fighting to save his life, while businesses are invited to contribute R270.
For the Havenga family, the journey has included countless hospital stays, procedures and therapies.
“We will never forget every prayer, message, donation and the kindness that carried us through our darkest moments,” Adelizé said.
“Most of all, we will never stop being grateful for every single day we get to spend with our miracle boy.”
If you feel in any way able to assist the family financially, please click here to contribute on Backabuddy.
Juván in hospital a year ago.
Juván during his most recent visit to the hospital.
Previous articles /Vorige artikels:
- Juván’s miracle mission: Little fighter back in hospital
- ’n Kersfeeswonderwerk vir klein Juván van Wilderness
- Juván’s miracle mission: Wilderness baby home, but not out of the woods
- Baby Juván finally discharged after more than a year in hospital
- Step by step, Juván keeps fighting
- Little warrior shows signs of strength after weeks in ICU
- Juván's miracle moment in his mother's arms
- Latest test results bring hope for Juván
- Juván is breathing against all odds
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
