Dreams come true for eight-year-old leukaemia patient and his bone-marrow donor brother

A heartfelt story of two brothers whose dreams were realised when Netcare 911 gave them a helicopter ride of a lifetime has touched many.

Eight-year-old Exzevia, who wants to become a paramedic, and Guidance, six, were honorary members of the medical organisation's flight crew for a day.

Netcare 911 and NPO Reach for a Dream Foundation, which grants the dreams of children facing life-threatening illnesses, joined forces to surprise the brothers from Philippi, Cape Town, taking them and their mother, Susan Sibanda, on a flight over the city.

Exzevia is being treated for leukaemia, while Guidance is a matching bone marrow donor for the transplant his brother so desperately needs.

“We really enjoyed it. When the ambulance came to pick us up from home it was already exciting for the boys and it really came as a surprise when one of the Netcare 911 crew announced we are going to the airport. We had no idea what was coming,” said Sibanda.

Erna Serfontein, a Netcare 911 emergency care technician, said it was heartwarming to see the brothers' excitement.

“Their faces when we picked them up, and the way their eyes lit up just having a ride in the ambulance was so touching,” she said.

“It was a privilege to help make this dream come true for Exzevia and to include the gift of love and the hope Guidance is giving his older brother. He is the embodiment of a superhero.”

Heidi Rowley, Reach for a Dream's Western Cape branch manager, said: “We believe in the power of dreams and their ability to inspire hope, even in the most challenging circumstances. When we learnt about Exzevia's dream of becoming a paramedic, we knew we had to make it come true. Thanks to the passionate team at Netcare 911, we could create this once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Dayne Olsen, Netcare 911 Western Cape helicopter emergency services manager, said Exzevia’s other dream was to own a laptop and Netcare 911 staff rallied around to make this a reality too.

“When the family got back to the base, we were delighted to present this brave boy with a laptop, a Netcare 911 teddy bear and accessories for both brothers to always remember the experience. We wish Exzevia a journey of healing and are most thankful to Reach for a Dream for the opportunity to assist in making his dream come true,” said Olsen.

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