Natasha's Journey with Tetralogy of Fallot

Natasha Muravha, now 24, was born with Tetralogy of Fallot, unknown to the D’Ovidio family. “The D’Ovidio family are the ones who have been there from the start till the end,” says a very grateful Natasha, “they took me in and looked after me… if it wasn’t for them, I don’t know where I would be.”

It was her Mom, Mrs D’Ovidio, that noticed that her breathing was off, “she said that it sounded like I had bronchitis,” shares Natasha, “so she took me to our house doctor who then told her to take me to a cardiologist. Natasha and D’Ovidio family were referred to paediatric cardiologist, Dr Jeff Harrisberg, which is where Natasha’s diagnosis was made.

Natasha was a year old when she underwent her first open heart surgery and had her second open heart surgery at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital when she was seven years old. Natasha and her family always knew that she would need another operation. “The estimate was when I was 18… but I was in matric. It would have been super stressful to have the op and do matric as well so we delayed it”. Just recently, Natasha underwent her third heart op with Dr Erich Schürmann, and will need another op in about 10 - 15 years time.

“I would like to thank Dr Jeff Harrisberg for all the years as he has always been so kind and lovely to us, and has always been supportive,” says Natasha. “Thank you to Dr Schürmann and the Maboneng team for making me feel comfortable and safe through the entire experience.

“I have been able to live a normal life, be active and still do things that others can do. I would also like to add that I have been able to live a normal life, be active and still do things that others can do."