Namibia’s miracle child – Mariana

An eigth-month old baby, Mariana Grobler this week underwent her second eye operation in less than a month to implant the second of two new corneas. The operation was done by Dr Aquavella of the Flaum Eye Institute in Rochester, New York.
The Grobler family is assisted by the Okanti Foundation and a host of other supporters, including their medical aid fund, to cover the costs for the surgery, hospitalisation, travel and accommodation. The family arrived in New York at the middle of September and will have to stay another three weeks for Dr Aquavella and his team to monitor Mariana’s progress. The family will return to Namibia at the beginning of November 2016.
Michaela Tietz of the Okanti Foundation said “we would like to thank each and every one of you once again for your kind and compassionate support. Only with all of your wonderful assistance could Mariana receive both artificial corneal transplants in the USA. Her first eye operation was done on 20 September 2016 and was a success: Mariana can see with her right eye already. The surgeon is very satisfied with the outcome of the complicated Keratoprosthesis surgery on the right eye. Mariana’s parents, family and all others involved are very grateful for such a magical outcome.”
“Thanks to the many, many generous donations and the extraordinary contribution by Mariana’s medical aid, we have achieved the fundraising target of N$1,5 million for the operation and all related costs” stated Michaela.
Mariana’s parents wish to sincerely thank Mariana’s medical aid without whose contribution it would not have been possible to cover the enormous costs involved. They also thank Lezanne & Kato Maartens for organizing the successful “Dance & Auction for Mariana Grobler,” The Wilku Trust for a huge donation; the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund; H.O.G. Namibia Chapter #7968 and all other donors who paid into the Etzold-Duvenhage Trust account, the account of “Namibia Miracle Child” and the Delport-Nederlof Trust account; as well as all loyal supporters of the Okanti Foundation. “We also sincerely thank the Pupkewitz Foundation and Trip Travel for their kind sponsorship of all flight tickets. Special thanks go to Dr Aquavella and his team at the Flaum Eye Institute for the exceptional care Mariana receives there; to the Ronald McDonald House in Rochester for the caring accommodation environment; to Todd Miedema for his support and fundraising campaign in the USA as well as to E-Bank and Thomas Cook for all the professional support in banking matters.”