Without a kidney transplant he will die December 01 2008 at 07:55AM
By Nikita Geldenhuys
"Look at me. I don't have any more time left to live." These are the words of David Mahlangu, 44, a teacher who has been teaching high school students for 18 years.
Yet it seems that soon Mahlangu's pupils at Maridile Middle School in Tweefontein (Mpumalanga) will be without their much-loved teacher.
In 1997 Mahlangu heard that he had an enlarged kidney and would need a transplant if he was to survive.
Mahlangu found a donor, but his woes were far from over as his medical aid told him they could not cover the cost of this much-needed operation. "When I heard the devastating news I was shattered. My family supported me and it took away a little of the pain."
He called his relatives together.
"When they were gathered I asked, no, I begged if someone could volunteer to donate a kidney."
"It was very good news when I heard that there were more than a few relatives willing to donate," Mahlangu said.
After medical tests, it was found that one of Mahlangu's cousin was a suitable donor.
"Oh, we were so positive.
"My medical aid would pay for my operation and a government hospital would, after a process of trials that they did, pay for the donor's operation."
"It was even better news when I heard that I was fourth on the list for a transplant operation".
Mahlangu said he was later informed by the hospital that there were no longer any funds available and that they could no longer cover the expense for his donor's operation. "I was so close. But I will never be able to cover the cost of this operation. I simply don't have R80 000."
"I have to face the facts. Without a transplant I will ultimately die."
Since then, Mahlangu has to be hospitalised every three times a week for fluids to be drained from his kidney.
Mahlangu can be contacted on 072 254 8112 or (013) 954 0391
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_South%20Africa&set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20081201052552186C572809
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