Adriaan de Lange

The de Lange family of Johannesburg, South Africa, came to Cincinnati Children’s seeking medical treatment for their son, Adriaan. Born with various medical problems, the most frightening were Adriaan’s paralysed vocal cords. With his vocal cords paralysed in the closed position, it was impossible for oxygen to pass through Adriaan’s airway. Something as simple as breathing, it seemed, was impossible for Adriaan. Shortly after his birth, doctors at Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, inserted a tracheotomy in Adriaan’s airway. While this life-saving measure enabled Adriaan to breathe, parents Carine and Martin de Lange were determined to find a surgeon and a procedure that would correct the problems with Adriaan’s airway and give him a much better quality of life.

After performing research on the internet and corresponding with numerous families around the world whose children had similar problems, Carine and Martin contacted Dr. Robin Cotton, Director of Otolaryngology at Cincinnati Children’s. During the course of their six trips to Cincinnati, Adriaan underwent a series operations and medical treatments, among them two airway reconstructions. Although Adriaan no longer has a tracheostomy, there are still some reasons for concern. To see Adriaan running, laughing and playing with other children, however, one might never know it.

Carine has stated, “Our encounter with Ronald McDonald House left us with an everlasting impression of the kindness of the American people, particularly those residing in Cincinnati. RMHC was not only our ‘home away from home,’ but the staff and volunteers have become our extended family and friends. We have laughed and cried with other families and have built friendships that have carried us through the bad times. Financially, without RMHC we would not have been able to give our son the medical treatment that he so desperately required.”

The medical care received from Cincinnati Children’s and the support of Ronald McDonald House forever changed the de Lange family. In fact, the impact was so great that in October 2008, they relocated to Cincinnati. Today, the family resides in the Cincinnati suburb of Wyoming, Ohio. Adriaan is in the first grade, enjoying all the learning opportunities of other first graders. Carine is now Director of Operations for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Cincinnati. And, Martin has joined our more than 200 volunteers who help keep our House running smoothly.

“For Adriaan,” Carine explains, “life without a tracheostomy is great. He is in a normal school, playing with other kids, making friends and just having fun. Without Dr. Cotton, Cincinnati Children’s and Cincinnati’s Ronald McDonald House, Adriaan’s recovery would not have been possible. And, for my husband Martin and myself, we’re very happy to be a part of Ronald McDonald House and the caring community of Greater Cincinnati.”