Cape Town - The mother of Ivoree Jane, the baby who underwent groundbreaking surgery at Tygerberg Hospital in December last year to remove a tumour in her mouth, is elated at her little one’s progress in speech therapy.
Now a year old, the child received the Western Cape’s first ever ex-utero intrapartum treatment, also referred to as the “exit” procedure.
First-time mother Kiara Jackson, 22, said Ivoree has made significant progress with the support of hospital staff and grandparents.
“At first it was me getting the reflexes in her mouth ready, so I had to rub her tongue so she would learn to suck, but now it’s more about trying to get her to breathe through her nose instead of her mouth,” Jackson said on Tuesday.
She spoke to the Cape Argus last year as baby Ivoree was receiving treatment for speech therapy following the procedure on December 10, 2021.
She said being a single mother to a baby with foetal abnormalities was draining but Ivoree’s grandparents had supported her without fail.
“It’s all because of her; she’s doing so well even though it wasn’t expected, and I think it’s only fair that I continue to try. I’m hoping that they complete her surgery and that she lives a normal life,” Jackson said.
At 35 weeks pregnant, doctors delivered Ivoree half-way to term to perform the procedure, creating an airway to insert tubes for her to breathe.
Following the creation of the airway, they completed a Caesarean, followed by the removal of the large tumour.