Savannah the brave

Back in 2009, Dis-Chem assisted a tenacious seven-year-old little girl with her first pair of hearing aids and also made a substantial donation towards a second pair that was specifically designed for children. Now a young lady of 22 years old, Savannah has surpassed all expectations and is living a happy and fulfilling life. We checked in to hear what she is up to nearly 15 years later. 

A tough start

Being born deaf is a huge challenge, but to add to it Savannah also started off life in ICU – unable to suck and with hardening of the heart wall. Then when Savannah was three, she was diagnosed with leukemia and spent three years on aggressive treatment. Her weight dropped to just 8kg and she suffered serious internal organ infection. But Savannah fought back and won. Remarkably, she has also been off all chronic medication for over a decade. Savannah may be small in stature, but her tenacity and positivity are boundless. 

Throughout her childhood, Savannah was cared for by day by her devoted grandparents, Jeremy and his late wife Veronica Jerome, while her mom Janine was at work. As a child, Savannah’s grandparents described her as “one in a million, and with the heart of a lioness, full of enthusiasm and positivity – just nothing gets her down.” Importantly, Savannah never saw herself as disadvantaged or unable to do things, and always “turned lemons into lemonade” – a living inspiration to all those around her.

The start of hearing

Janine says the first pair of hearing aids that The Dis-Chem Foundation gave Savannah, as well as the donation for the second pair, made a huge difference in Savannah’s life. “It enabled her to make great strides in her speech development and to understand people around her better. This in turn enabled Savannah to attend a special needs school, interact with her friends and live as normal a life as possible. The original hearing aids also facilitated that Savannah be a candidate for cochlear implants, which she now has for each ear. This was life changing for her.” While signing remains Savannah’s first language and speaking her second language, she now uses both while communicating – though she does favour verbal language a little more.

A day in the life of Savannah

After leaving school at 18, Savannah enrolled at an adult daycare centre for three days a week. Hodnett House in Johannesburg caters to special needs adults, who participate in a range of enjoyable daily activities. From cooking, baking and dancing to creating art, doing community litter cleanups, knitting and more. Life skills are included. It’s a little community of special adults with different needs who all get on well and socialize happily with each other. They have parties and enjoy their time together. There’s always something interesting going on. This is Savannah’s personal social circle.

On Mondays and Fridays Savannah stays home, but Fridays have become extra special. In June, Jeremy initiated a regular bowling session as an additional extra mural activity for Hodnett members. So, on Friday mornings Jeremy and eight or nine folk from Hodnett House head to the Linden Bowling Club, who graciously hosts their bowling sessions. Savannah is there too, and is already quite an accomplished bowler. Jeremy says they all absolutely love it and it’s a great outing for them. He adds that “people with disabilities have strengths in other areas, and this is evident amongst the bowlers from Hodnett House.”

Surprising to both Janine and Jeremy is that Savannah also loves gym, running on the treadmill and has a particular passion for lifting weights. It’s surely testimony to the fact that her heart condition is no longer an issue to her, and she feels fit and strong. Janine says Savannah has some big muscles to show for her efforts too.

Daily challenges

Sometimes Savannah’s speech capacity limits her, explains Janine. “Savannah knows what she wants to say but can’t always communicate it, which frustrates her. Sometimes other people don’t understand her too. I think this will probably always be a challenge for her.”

Special achievements

“I never thought Savannah’s speech would become as good as it is. It’s not perfect, but she has so much more speech than I ever anticipated,” says Janine. She adds that Savannah is also very artistic, good with her hands and also did pottery which she sold – but which all ended with covid. She’s also very good at figuring out problems and has a quick grasp of technology. 

Hopes and dreams

More than anything, Savannah would love to have a job and earn her own money. Janine says that when Savannah goes to Hodnett she talks about ‘going to work’. “Having a job would be the greatest thing for her and is next on her list of things to do.” Janine is looking around for a job for Savannah, as she says she is certainly capable enough – it’s just to find the right fit for her. She is very adept at repetitive tasks and takes her responsibilities seriously. Savannah also does basic admin work. 

Pure inspiration

“She’s a ‘never give up’ girl,” says Jeremy, “and she believes she can do anything. Savannah really tries hard and she achieves a lot in her own way. She helps me with tasks around the house and will try anything. And she puts her heart into it and is very conscientious with everything she does.”

Janine adds: “Savannah just doesn’t let anything get her down. She is very inspiring to me. The Dis-Chem Foundation was the starting point of Savannah’s journey of where she is today. We are so grateful to them for this, because without the help it would have been very tough to get her to where she is now. The Dis-Chem Foundation made a huge difference to assist in Savannah's development, and paved the way for Savannah to achieve in life.” She may be a petite package, but she is certainly hugely inspiring. 

Also see: www.hodnetthouse.org.za


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