Good Morning Angels: The angels help a young boy with an incurable disease
Wednesday on Good Morning Angels, the angels came together with a big surprise for a single mom and her son after he was diagnosed with a degenerative disease with no cure and a limited life expectancy.
BACKGROUND: Justin Ouwenkamp is a 12 years boy from Pretoria - the only child of his single mom, Jolene. Over the past 4 years, their lives have changed dramatically. Up to the age of 8, Justin was a lively, active boy, who loved playing sports, especially "bulletjie" rugby. At the age of 8, he was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a syndrome that hinders the brain from sending the correct signals for muscles to function. It is a degenerative disease, with no cure and a limited life expectancy.
Since his diagnosis, Justin lost the ability to walk, he left his school and his mom enrolled him in Nuwe Hoop School. Justin now needs a specialised wheelchair to protect his organs (because of all the sitting in his current wheelchair). The medical aid covers R92 800 of the R 131 800 costs of the wheelchair - but as a single mom, Jolene cannot afford the outstanding R39 000. That’s why her cousin, Megan Moolman Snyders reached out to Good Morning Angels for assistance.
REQUEST FOR: Jolene and Justin Ouwenkamp
REQUEST FROM: Megan Moolman Snyders
ANGEL 1: The Good Morning Angels Fund NPC
SPONSORING: The GMA Fund will assist Jolene with the outstanding R39 000 for Justin’s new wheelchair as well as R11 000 to assist with other needs - that’s R50 000 in total.
ANGEL 2: Cheryl from Rochester and Patti from Plascon with the crew of Mzansi Room Rescue on Afternoon Express on SABC3.
SPONSORING: A lounge room makeover for Jolene and Justin with new paint, furniture, TV and more!
WATCH: Mzansi Room Rescue on Afternoon Express on SABC3 at 18:30 on 6 October 2022 - to see this amazing room reveal!
ORIGINAL REQUEST:
Good afternoon GMA,
I’m Megan, the cousin of the little boy whose needs I’m bringing before you today.
Justin Ouwenkamp is a 12-year-old boy going to New Hope School, residing with his single mom in Pretoria East.
He was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at age 8. This is a syndrome that hinders the brain from sending the correct signals for muscles to function, in short. It is a deteriorating disease and the life expectancy is very short. Before his diagnosis he was able to play “bulletjie” rugby and all kinds of sports in a great and prominent Pretoria East Primary school. My mother (who was a paramedic) started noticing symptoms in Justin when he was 8 years old. After numerous tests he was diagnosed with this disease. He is no longer able to walk, go to the bathroom as he use to or live any sort of life like he use to.
Justin now needs a specialised wheelchair to protect his organs (because of all the sitting in his current wheelchair) I will be able to give more info.
The cost of this wheelchair is R131,800.
The medical aid is covering a massive amount of R92 800. But R39 000 is still outstanding.
My aunt does not know which way to turn. She works an 8-hour work day, is the sole provider for the two of them and tries to finance everything as best she can.
We would really really appreciate the help of Good Morning Angles in ANY way possible!
Kindest regards,
Megan
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