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Ntando Mahlangu. PHOTO: Mohau Mofokeng

 Being a child is something you can't buy with money 

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THE grandmother of a boy who was fitted with prosthetic legs following a double amputation is very happy and says the child's dream has come true.

Ntando Mahlangu, 10, was last week fitted with prosthetic legs similar to the ones worn by Paralympic gold medallist Oscar Pistorius called carbon fibre Cheetah blades.

This was after Ntando's legs were amputated in May this year.

Speaking from her home at Tweefontein in Mpumalanga, Ntando's grandmother Pauline Mahlangu, said: "I was so happy when they told me on the 18th (September) that they'd give him the legs for free. Now he can run."

Ntando was born with a condition called hemimelia, which means he had no bones in the lower part of his legs.

Mahlangu is his legal guardian as his mother is sick and unable to care for him.

"He is so happy. He was in a rush to walk. I had to ask him to wait for me," she said.

Ntando was given crutches to assist him with the blades as he is unable to walk and stand without assistance yet.

"He takes them off sometimes when he watches TV," his granny said.

Before the amputation, Mahlangu said Ntando had to crawl everywhere he went.

Elmari Smit, a physiotherapist from Icexpress Progressive Prosthetics, said: "The doctor was unable to save Ntando's legs because they were angled too much and had to amputate below the knee."

Mahlangu said she had been told the blades would cost R39,000 for one leg.

Ntando was referred to the Jumping Kids Prosthetic Fund, a non-profit organisation, after his operation at Steve Biko Academic Hospital.

The organisation was founded by Johan Snyders, the CEO of Icexpress Progressive Prosthetics.

"We want to give kids that magic moment of being a kid. Being a child is something you can't buy with money," Snyders said.

Ntando said: "I am very happy with the blades. I will be like Oscar (Pistorius) because I like to run."

Further rehabilitation will be done so Ntando can learn to walk and run as well as walk on different surfaces such as grass and pavement.

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Comments

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Wed Jun 19 20:05:06 SAST 2013 ::

Oct 1, 2012

Jenani

Nice to read a 'feel good' story. Congratulation to the Fund. You've certainly made a difference in this child's life.
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Oct 1, 2012

candilious

Good work but the kid needs to loose weight otherwise those blades wount be any good to him
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Oct 1, 2012

MommaC

Great stuff :)
Looking forward to watching you at the olympics in 8 or 9 years time - hope Oscar will be willing to give you some tips
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Oct 1, 2012

NeoBaBe

Finaly reading about good news.. Gud luck kido!
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Oct 1, 2012

Papage

put the boy on a diet, he must stop eating too much Kota, his weight is not good for the legs
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Oct 1, 2012

Zee_R

Come on guys! A little sensitivity here. You read he had to crawl to get around, what kind of exercise could he do without movement anyway? He is probably surviving off a grant, which means that his stable diet is probably bread and maize. Easy to tell someone to loose weight - however, if bread and pap is all you can afford, it will and can affect your weight. Truly happy that he has been given a second lease on life. Who knows, he might be our next Blade Runner!
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Oct 1, 2012

SWEETYK

Good news indeed.
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Oct 1, 2012

TheMan2000

You go boy impossible is nothing, I hope Sowetan will follow the progress of this boy.
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