A Personal Mission

For Lombard, the cause is deeply personal. She lost her grandson to CHD at just 27 days old, an experience that changed her life.

“He made me realise how important it is to fight for these children and their families,” she shared.

During the event, Lombard met many families navigating similar journeys.

“The saddest moment for me was meeting a grandmother who had also lost her grandchild. We took a picture together, and in that moment, we were dubbed the ‘grieving grannies.’ It was a heartbreaking but meaningful connection,” she recounted.

That grandmother was Chandra Reddy, whose grandson, Caleb Theodore Govender, was born on January 21, 2024, but passed away just seven months later due to CHD.

“We never knew that a condition like this existed until our baby was born,” Reddy shared.

“That’s why raising awareness is so important. So many people don’t know about CHD, and they should. This walk was very important for me, even though I couldn’t physically take part because of my knees. I still showed up to support,” Reddy said.

Reddy recalled how Caleb’s condition was discovered shortly after birth.

“He had three things wrong with his heart,” she said. “When he was just one month old, they put a shunt in his heart to help him breathe. He had multiple surgeries, and on the day, he turned six months, he was admitted to hospital again. He underwent another operation, but he picked up an infection in hospital. Despite all the doctors' efforts, we lost him.”

Though his time was brief, Caleb brought immense joy to his family.

“If you saw pictures of him, you would never guess that he was sick. He was such a bubbly, beautiful baby,” she said.

“It’s heartbreaking to know he endured so much pain, but his strength continues to inspire us,” she added.

Bridging Online and In-Person Support

While much of her advocacy work is done virtually, the walk allows Lombard to meet the families she supports in person.

“Doctors often refer patients to me, and I develop a relationship with them online. But on Saturday, I got to meet some of those families face to face, and that’s a huge reward for me,” Lombard said.

As Heart Kids SA continues pushing for greater awareness and support for CHD patients and their families, Lombard hopes events like the Heart Kids SA Big Walk encourage more people to learn about the condition, offer support, and advocate for those affected.

“We need more people to understand CHD and its impact. If we can educate just one more person, we’ve made a difference,” she said.

#families

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