A Fragile Start Filled With Courage and Hope
Born too soon and fighting for every breath, baby Xihluke’s tiny heart needed more than prayers, it needed people who believed in miracles. And that is exactly what she received.
They say dynamite comes in small packages, and Xihluke proves it. Although she arrived early, her story has been filled with courage, compassion, and the kind of medical teamwork that transforms fear into gratitude.
Today, her little heart beats strong, echoing the sound of second chances.
A Premature Birth With Life-Threatening Challenges
Born at just 30 weeks, little Xihluke Mashimbyi entered the world with a congenital heart defect that threatened her survival. For her parents, Oddette and Dzunisani, each day was a mix of worry, prayer, and unwavering hope.
“Xihluke’s name means ‘unique’, and she is our miracle angel”, Oddette shares. “She is our second-born child, but it was our first time facing such serious health problems with a baby.”
Intensive Care and the Search for Answers
From birth, Xihluke’s fragile heart required constant medical attention.
“From the moment she arrived, she had to stay on a ventilator in the intensive care unit, where I visited her daily to express milk”, Oddette recalls.
Feeding her meant giving her tiny spoonfuls of milk, helping her gain weight bit by bit. Tests at Steve Biko Academic Hospital soon revealed the cause of her struggles: a ventricular septal defect (VSD), a hole between the chambers of her heart.
Her father, Dzunisani, remembers the devastation of hearing the diagnosis.
“We were scared because the heart is essential for life. Our church community in Soweto prayed for our baby, and many had never heard of a condition like this in such a small child.”
A Critical Decision: Surgery Was the Only Option
When it became clear that the hole would not close on its own, doctors knew she needed a complex and urgent operation.
“The problem of heart disease in children is enormous, and there are very few specialists who can treat it”, says Professor Lindy Mitchell, a paediatric cardiologist at Steve Biko Academic Hospital. “We applied to the Maboneng Foundation and the Netcare Foundation to fast-track her surgery.”
Help arrived quickly. The Maboneng Heart and Lung Institute at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital stepped in, and the Netcare Foundation pledged full support. A dream team of doctors, including cardiothoracic surgeons Dr Lehlohonolo Dongo and Dr Martin Myburgh, paediatric cardiologist Dr Kenny Govendrageloo, anaesthetist Dr Stephanie Fischer, and Dr Erich Schürmann, offered their expertise pro bono.
“A VSD can cause irreversible lung damage if untreated”, explains Dr Schürmann. “Timing was everything. We had to act fast to give her the best chance of a healthy future.”
A Delicate Surgery and a Community in Prayer
In August, at just 10 months old, Xihluke underwent the delicate heart operation. Her parents waited in fear, surrounded by faith, prayers, and a community cheering on their little girl.
“We were relieved she was getting the operation but terrified because she was so small,” Oddette says. “But our prayers were answered, Xihluke responded beautifully and recovered quickly.”
Just three days later, the Mashimbyi family left the hospital with renewed hope. Their once-fragile daughter was finally on the path to thriving.
A Joyful Recovery Filled With Growth and Gratitude
“She began growing quickly,” Oddette smiles. “Her weight has improved so much. She loves pumpkin and maize meal porridge with peanut butter and a little sugar.”
Dzunisani adds, “We thank God for the kindness and skill of the medical teams at both Steve Biko Academic Hospital and Netcare Sunninghill Hospital. We thank the doctors, the nurses, and the Netcare and Maboneng Foundations for giving our daughter this second chance at a full, healthy life.”
A Model of What Compassionate Collaboration Can Achieve
For Mande Toubkin, Netcare’s general manager of emergency, trauma, transplant, and CSI, Xihluke’s journey shows what is possible when people and organisations unite for good.
“Through partnerships like this, healthcare interventions can reach more children and transform lives. We encourage organisations to recognise the lasting impact that health-focused initiatives can have, not just on individuals, but on whole communities.”
Today, baby Xihluke is a joyful, energetic child with a promising future. She is living proof that when compassion meets collaboration, miracles can, and do, happen.
