A Mother’s Plea for Help: Nozipho Mlangeni’s Journey with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal — For Nozipho Mlangeni, motherhood has always meant doing everything possible to give her children a better life. But when her son was just four years old, she began noticing changes that she could not explain.

At first, he was an energetic young boy who could walk and do things for himself like any other child. But gradually, Nozipho noticed that his walking began to change.

“He started walking differently, almost as if he was struggling to walk. As time went on, it looked like he was losing strength in his knees. He would become tired, and eventually his whole body seemed to be losing strength,” she explains.

What initially appeared to be a minor change became something much more serious as her son grew older.

By the age of six, the weakness had become more noticeable. Eventually, by the time he was around nine years old, he could no longer walk and began spending most of his time seated.

Nozipho was determined to find answers and support for her child. She began the process of applying for a disability grant and, once it was approved, she started looking for a school that could accommodate children living with special needs.

Her son had been born healthy and had initially reached his childhood milestones normally. He had been able to walk, play and do things independently. It was only as he grew older that his condition began to change his life dramatically.

Doctors eventually identified the condition as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a genetic disorder that causes muscles to progressively weaken over time.

A Mother Facing Another Uncertain Future

Today, Nozipho faces another difficult concern.

Her youngest child has also started showing signs that worry her. According to Nozipho, doctors have expressed concern after noticing similarities in the way the younger child walks.

“He is also starting to walk with difficulty, and the doctors have said that it is possible that he may have the same condition because of the way he walks,” she says.

For a mother who has already watched one child lose his physical strength, seeing similar signs in another child has been deeply distressing.

Nozipho says she has tried to seek medical assistance and has taken her children to doctors in the hope of finding treatment that could change their situation.

However, she says she has repeatedly been told that there is currently no cure for the condition and that the medication provided is intended to help slow its progression.

A Mother’s Appeal for Help

Despite the challenges, Nozipho has not given up.

Her greatest hope is to find additional assistance, medical support and resources that could improve her children's quality of life.

She is now appealing to Thuleleni and members of the public for assistance.

“I have tried everything I can with the doctors, but I am told that there is no cure. They give us medication to try to slow the illness down. I am asking the Thuleleni organisation to please help me. I am asking with humility because I desperately want my child to receive help and, if possible, to get better,” she says.

Her story is not simply about illness. It is about a mother refusing to stop fighting for her children despite the uncertainty she faces.

For Nozipho, every day is another opportunity to seek answers, find support and create a better future for her children.

How You Can Help

Nozipho Mlangeni is based in Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal, and is appealing for assistance and support for her children.

Anyone who may be able to assist with medical support, disability-related resources, specialist care or other forms of meaningful assistance can contact her directly.

Contact Nozipho Mlangeni:📞 082 728 9178📞 066 501 6030

“I am asking with humility because I want my child to receive help.”

This is a story about a mother’s determination, a family’s struggle and the hope that, with the right support, no family should have to face such a journey alone.

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