Cape Town - Open-heart surgery is a daunting operation for most adults, but even more so for a child of 5.
Egsaan Louw was one of the first patients at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital to undergo this surgery 55 years ago.
On Monday, Louw celebrated his 60th birthday. Louw, from Manenberg, said he underwent open-heart surgery in the early 1960s.
“I was born with a hole in my heart,” he said.
However, doctors only diagnosed his heart condition when he was 1-year-old.
“I was always crying and they didn’t know why. The doctor then told my mom that I had a leaking heart.”
However, it wasn’t until he was 5-years-old that the operation was performed.
Louw explained that he did not remember anything about the actual surgery, but he did remember frequenting the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital with his mother for check-ups before the surgery.
The surgery was a success and Louw said that from the day he was discharged from hospital he had been very active.
“When I came out of hospital I was kicking and chasing a tin in front of the hospital.”
The operation gave him a chance to live a normal life and participate in his favourite sports - soccer and cricket.
In spite of it being so many years since the surgery, Louw said he had never been back for a check-up and had not had any heart-related problems since, though he did have high blood pressure and diabetes.
The only reminder of the surgery was a scar that he doesn’t “take note of” anymore.
Surviving to see his 60th birthday was a surprise, he said - doctors told his mother that he would probably only live to see his late forties.
Louw said he thanked God and was grateful that he was still around to celebrate his 60th birthday with his wife of 33 years, Anesa, and their two daughters as well as the rest of his family.
“I’m grateful for still being here.”
The family got together last night to for a celebration.
Dr Anita Parbhoo, medical manager at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, said: “The hospital is happy to have contributed positively to Mr Louw’s quality of life and wishes him all the best for his 60th birthday.”