Imagine waking up one morning to total darkness and being left to wonder what the faces of your spouse and children will look like as they begin to age; with your memory stuck in a timezone, a place where you last saw your friends and family. The gift of sight is something that we often take for granted and for a Newcastle family, things will never be the same after a series of medical conditions left a mother of three blind.
Speaking to the Newcastle Express, Yavini Maduray tearfully recalled the journey which ended with her losing her sight. The former Lincoln Heights Secondary School educator said that it has been extremely difficult.
“I have been diabetic for about 21 years. Things were fine up until I had my first stroke in May of 2020. I then suffered a second stroke in June of 2021 and then a third one in June of 2022. It affected the right side of my body. My vision was blurry after that and I lost mobility of my right leg and my right hand,” explained Yavini.
However, after receiving physiotherapy, things began looking up again. Then, in June 2022, her sight began to quickly deteriorate; to add to the calamity, the young mother of three also suffered a heart attack which left her fighting for her life in ICU.
Yavini explained that there isn’t anything that doctors can do for her to regain her sight, and the one operation that is available is very high-risk and can lead to brain damage.
“There is also no guarantee that the operation will be successful. It has been hard on us as a family. There are days when I cannot distinguish between day or night. It is only when I hear the chirping of birds that I know morning has arrived. What hurts the most is not being able to see my children grow up. I try to remember them the way they are, how they look, how my husband Kevin looks, and I try really hard not to forget,” said a visibly emotional Yavini.
She further explained that the situation has taken an emotional and financial toll on the family.
“My husband Kevin had to leave work in order to look after me full-time. He has been my rock throughout this ordeal and I am so grateful to him and all the community members who have assisted us in this tine of need,” she said.
With no steady income, the family is now reaching out to the community for assistance in making their home more accommodating for Yavini.
After hearing the family’s plight, Faizel and Razia Cassim, long-time friends of the couple, have stepped in to assist but say that they cannot do it alone.
“Kevin and Yavini have always been there for us. They have assisted with feeding schemes and they are humanitarians with good hearts. When I was battling cancer, they were there cooking, encouraging me and being the backbone that we needed. Today they are in need and we will stop at nothing to make life a bit more comfortable for them,” said Faizel.
He said that they are looking for donors who can supply material, their time and expertise or even financial assistance.
“Items which are needed are railings for the passage and bathroom, the bathroom needs to be converted into a walk-in shower, different tiles for the rooms so that it would make it easier for Yavini to tell which room she is in and also to remove the carpet so that her mobility would be better,” said Faizel.
If you would like to contribute in any way, kindly contact Razia Cassim on 074-285-0234 or Kevin Maduray on 082-892-6206.
