Our SKYPE Status:

Home
Customer Service
Contact Information

COURTNEY SPARROW

 

Make a donation today using Paypal. All funds are received, receipted and then passed on the Sparrow's by Hope Unlimited Inc., a US based charity.

First report September 30, 2008 As most of you are now aware, Ron and Margaret Sparrows' little girl - Courtney Sparrow (9yrs) , was attacked by lions last tuesday. Her parents own a safari ranch in Masvingo and Courtney innocently went nextdoor, last tuesday, with the maids when they went to clean the one partnershouse (he is away in Canada). The partner, had brought up a couple of lionsand left them in the garden vicinity to look after the house and as a formof protection as they have had a long on-going saga with war vets etc. Courtney was inside the house, with the maids, and was standing next to a window. The lioness put her paw through and got Courtneys arm and actually managed to pull her through the burglar barred window. The gardner rushed and beat the lioness with a pole and Courtney managed to get away - she ranto the gate only to find it was locked, she panicked and ran back to the window - and on the way a young male lion then attacked her. Margy, her mom, managed to beat the male lion with a pole and they got Courtney away and out the enclosure. She was air lifted to Avenues, harare, where there was absolutely nothing that could be done for her - fortunately they managed to stabilize her enough and then Ron and Margy were able to arrange to have her flown to Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa Her osophegus had to be rebuilt and miraculously none of the puncture woundsfrom the mauling damaged any internal organs and although the front of herskull was bitten off - there is no brain damage. Her left eye was pulled out of the socket and the skin and bone on top damaged - but amazingly her eye isintact and she has had an operation to repair the eye socket using bone and skin from her hip. Sadly with all the hassles the farmers have had here the last few years, this families income has dwindled drastically to a point where, like most of us Zimbabweans, they were already at a point of just making do (survival), and were hoping and praying things would turn the corner soon with regards to our economy. I am led to believe that like most of us, they were unable to afford the exhorbitant cost of external Medical Cover and now they have been left in the devastating position of having to fund these unbelievable medical bills. More than anything, This family - especially Courtney, desperately needs your prayer, and if you can afford it and feel compelled to do so, a small donation to help with the enormous costs incurred saving this childs life and now her continued treatment which will include further surgeries. Although she is stabilized, and off the respirator and breathing on her own, she still has a long long road ahead as far as full recovery is concerned and already, one week in, the medical bill is sitting at R500 000 (half a million rand). Second report September 30, 2008 (fromHeather Bayliss) Ron and Margaret have been using my laptop since Courtney's accident and Iam taking the liberty of writing to everyone who emailed them to my email address. I know that they appreciate each and every contact but I'm concerned that they will not be able to let you have the details that you have asked for anytime soon. The Netcare Milpark Hospital has opened a bankaccount from which all Courtney's medical expenses will be paid: Account Holder: MILPARK HOSPITAL Bank: NEDBANK Branch Name: FOX STREET (82 Simmonds Street, between Fox and Main Sts, Johannesburg, South Africa) Account Number: 1908466545 Branch Code: 190805  Swift Code: NEDSZAJJ Current Account PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU USE THE REFERENCE THAT WILL MAKE SURE THAT THEY ALLOCATE FUNDS: SPARROW CJ MS Report dated October 3.  Courtney & family were visited by Mitch Webber of Memories of Rhodesia. You might have heard about this young girl 9 years on the news last week here in SA. Her parents and neighbors are good friends .Whilst the partner was away the Courtney's would look after the home. For added protect due to wear vets etc the neighbor had lions on his property. Little did anyone know, that when the maid went to cleen the home little Courtney followed them inside.It was at this time that the lioness smashed through a main window garbed Courtney by her upper right are and pulled her through the window. The maids beat the lioness of Courtney.She ran for the gate .Only to find it locked.On her way back the male lion attacked.He in turn was chased away by the gardener. Zimbabwe could not help Harare main hospital could do nothing. Due to the severity around the head,They were told to get her to the Milpark hospital in Gauteng South Africa.I went there today to confirm the facts for the benefit of others wanting to help; Here she received top quality service. I know as I have been there at least 30 times over the last few years. Bottom line, Her face on the right has been stapled up from just above the chin up over the right eye and into the head.Part of the skull was found.A section was missing.The left eye has was torn out from the sicket.this is the fragile side of things. they have managed to save her eye,but its going to take a number of operation's to fix it. So more operations on the way. The cost from Harare was over R100,00.00 at least. Mil parks bill is close to R500,000.00. What can we do? They have opened a trust fund via Milpark Hospital .This ensures that any monies will go to the correct place.Money plays a roll, but Prayer God answers.Lift them up in prayer please. Report October 12, 2008 (Heather Bayliss) Once again we would like to give you a new update on Courtney's progress anddevelopments since we last emailed you. On Monday of this week (6th Oct) when the doctor came through to check up on Courts we asked him when he thought she would be able to leave hospital and his response was a week or so dependant on what the Neurosurgeon felt about her last surgery. In that same session he withdrew the drainage pipe from her head where quitea lot of fluid was draining due to the operation. The following day I was taking Courtney in a wheel chair around the hospital, we passed ICU to show her where we spend 13 nights and by chance happened to bump into the 3 doctors who have been taking care of her (plastic surgeon, neurosurgeon andpaediatric surgeon), after a discussion between the three of them, the neurosurgeon felt that the bone transplant would be accepted or rejected whether she was in hospital or 30 mins down the round at a friend of ours home. For his side he was happy that she could be dismissed from hospital. The paediatric surgeon, who is also the team leader of the group, also felt that she was healing quickly and he also felt that she should go into an environment that was better for her mental health. With this the plastic surgeon agreed and the same day the neurosurgeon signed her release papers on the proviso that we would check back with themtoday (Friday 10th) for them to make sure that there are no infections or swelling due to the bone replacement or any other problems that my arise. With this we were out of hospital by Tuesday 7th lunchtime. Therefore a total of 14 days in ICU and 6 days in the neurosurgical ward. With great excitement from Courtney and ourselves we wheeled her out the front door into a car and to our temporary home. Our destination was to Kevin and Debbie Soul and their two children Courtneyand Megan. Kevin and Debbie very graciously opened up their cottage next to their home and have taken us in as if we are family. For those of you who know the Soul family, you will know what we are referring to as they have gone out of their way to accommodate Courtney and her recovery and us as parents watching her get stronger each and every day. Courtney and Megan Soul havebeen wonderful with our two girls and have been treating them and fussingafter them in such a special way. Our thanks and gratitude goes out to the Soul family for playing such a special role in helping us. Today (Friday 10th) we returned from the hospital from Courtney's checkups and the doctor is extremely pleased with her progress. Her scars are healing extremely well; they found no infection or inflammation in the head area. So all your prayers and support are definitely working. We are due back at the hospital in another week as the bone replacement cantake up to two weeks to show its true direction. As mentioned in our previous email there are two immediate surgeries which need to be done - the eye and the orbit of the eye (bone surrounding the eye). Beyond that there will be cosmetic surgery which will all be within and spread out over the next year or maybe two. The phase we are in now is to get her back on track again mentally and physically to prepare her for the next round of surgery. As parents it is so wonderful to see your little girl coming from where she was and improving and getting stronger every day. This is of course for many reasons and a large part of that is for all of you who have playedsuch an important role in one way or another We say this because we don't want anyone to think that all this that you have done is not appreciated or remembered. So from us and in particular Courtney, we thank you very much.

 

RETURN TO MAIN PAGE