Elijah Cottle, a 3-year-old boy from Hout Bay, Cape Town, was diagnosed with Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) – a rare and serious polio-like condition – which left him paralysed from the waist down. Despite the devastating news, Elijah remained positive and cheerful as he fought for his life while in intensive care at the Christiaan Barnard Hospital in Cape Town. After several months of intense treatment and recovery, Elijah was finally discharged from the hospital in September 2022. His family was overjoyed to have him home, but they knew that the road to recovery would be long and costly.
Currently, Elijah’s rehabilitation schedule is intense, with four-day sessions every week consisting of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and hydrotherapy. He also has a caregiver to assist with his needs and transportation to and from therapies. Despite the challenges, Elijah remains determined to recover and regain his mobility. With Elijah’s condition showing little improvement, his family began researching other options overseas. They learned of a procedure called a Nerve Transfer Surgery that was performed successfully on a boy with similar symptoms in the United States. It could be Elijah’s best chance at walking again.
However, the family faces significant financial obstacles to get Elijah to the United States for a procedure that their medical aid will not cover. They have launched a crowdfunding campaign with a goal of raising R500 000. The outpouring of support from the community has been overwhelming. Friends, family, and even strangers have donated to the campaign, raising over R260 000 for Elijah’s much-needed treatment.
The Cottle family remain hopeful and grateful for the support they have received thus far. The family is asking for continued support and donations to help Elijah on his journey to recovery and raise awareness about AFM. Donations can be made on the BackaBuddy campaign launched for Elijah, which can be found here.
