Pretoria - His legs finally arrived - and 7-year-old Tshepo Rasebeka couldn’t stop smiling with every step he took.
Tshepo, a double amputee above the knees, was in absolute awe as he was finally fitted with his new prosthetic legs provided by the Jumping Kids charity and Avis car rental company at the Innovation Hub on Thursday.
The youngster, born with a congenital birth defect, had to have his legs amputated when he was only a few months old.
His mother Asnath Rasebeka said she was heartbroken when doctors at George Mukhari Hospital in Ga-Rankuwa told her that her son’s legs had not developed properly and that he would, in all likelihood, not be able to use them.
“I was scared and worried about him having to grow up without his legs.
“I just put my faith in God and told them to cut the legs when he was nine months old,” she said.
“He has always been an active child. He never let not having legs stop him from playing with his friends. He would crawl behind the other children just to take part in whatever games they would be playing at the time.”
Rasebeka said they tried to remain optimistic despite the hospital telling them it would take a long time for Tshepo to get prosthetic legs.
“I was anxious as he kept asking me when he was going to get his legs and be able to play with the other children without depending on his wheelchair.”
Another double-leg amputee, teenager Ntando Mahlangu, who is part of the track and field squad team to represent South Africa at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games next month, said he was happy that another child had been given the gift of walking.
Mahlangu also received prosthetic legs from Jumping Kids in 2012.
“I’m really happy for Tshepo because I know how liberating it can be to finally be able to walk and not have to rely on a wheelchair all the time. I don’t know about being his mentor, for now I am just happy that he likes me.”
Michael Stevens, Jumping Kids operations manager, said Tshepo would be part of their programme for the next two years as they would be making sure he goes through rehab, exercise and how to use the legs properly.
“We don’t just fit them with prosthetics and let them go. Our goal is for them to be able to finish their school, take part in sports and grow a strong body and mind so they can do anything they want to,” he said.
“Because he is a youngster, he will grow and (the legs will) need regular maintenance if something breaks or need new ones, so we keep in contact so they can stay active,” said Stevens.
Avis chief executive Rainer Gottschick said they sponsored Tshepo with the R60 000 prosthetic legs as they noticed the remarkable effect it had had on Mahlangu since he was given his.
“It’s about giving children with low mobility and no hope the chance to start over again. It is such an emotional thing to see the happiness this contribution brings to the children.”
Pretoria News