Ben was born with a complicated long gap OA.  He had his first operation when he was one day old.  He had a long gap OA which could not be primarily repaired and the surgeons brought out a gastrostomy (feeding tube in the stomach) and oesophagostomy (small opening for saliva in his neck).  When he was 4 months old he had a gastric pull-up and spend 5 weeks in hospital.  Our Ben is not thriving. Due to our own experience and all the wonderful support from OA parents inspired us to make this support group an official NPC. Our group have many inspiring stories and we are proud to be apart of this amazing group.

When I first heard Chris would be born with this condition, I felt confused at helpless.  He had had a half-dozen tubes coming out of him and had to have surgery straight after he was born.  I felt afraid and alone and it was hard to trust that he would recover.  Today when I look at him running off to school with his backpack, I feel proud and amazed at how far he has come.

Bastian is ons klein warrior prins! Hy het die sterkste wil, maar ook die sagste geaartheid. Die klein man het vir sy familie geleer wat dit is om geloof te hê en daarop te vertrou.

Amelia Elise de Villiers was born at 35 weeks with a Type C TOF. She was 4 days old when she had her operation to repair her TOF. Since then she had a stent in for 3 dyas and she had 4 dilataions. She is eating solids and is doing well!

Estél is gebore 20 Junie 2023, op 36 weke. Sy het 2.4 kg geweeg en is gebore met ‘n “long-gap OA”. Sy het twee operasies gehad. Die laaste een, die maagoptrek, was op 18 Januarie 2024 en was suksesvol. Die OATSA groep se ondersteuning en advies het vir ons hoop gegee in hierdie moeilike tyd.

Heinrich was op dag 3 geopereer vir ‘n Tipe C OA en was 3 weke in NICU.  Hy het daarna met ‘n koppie gevoed, totdat hy sterk genoeg was om te borsvoed.  Hy het 11 dilatasies gehad voor hy 18 maande oud was.  Hy sukkel soms met sy longe, het soms kos wat vasteek en refluks as hy verkeerd eet, maar ontwikkel verder normaal.

Shelton Tofile is almost 4.  He was transfered to George Mukhari Academic Hospital shortly after birth where he was diagnosed with OA.

Malia was born with VACTERL anomalies including OA and TOF.  She teaches me how to be happy and stay strong no matter what.   No obstacle is too big for her.  

Lwanele was born 1 June 2017. He weighed 1.6kg and was diagnosed with a TOF, hydrocephaus, encephalocele, tracheomalacia and laryngomalacia and had an imperforated anus. He had 4 major surgeries in his first year of life.  Today he is 6 years old and going strong..