Local musicians are gearing up for a benefit concert to help a little Seawinds baby breathe easily.
Arabella Grace Cupido was born with a rare condition which makes her suffocate in her sleep due to a blocked nasal cavity.
The friendly 10-month-old baby and her parents, Kyle and Naticia, are having sleepless nights because of her condition, which traps phlegm, making it hard for her to breathe.
Kyle says doctors had told them a bone in Arabella’s nose is too flat, causing growths in the nasal canal and these now need to be removed to help with her breathing.
He says they were not prepared for the experience of waking up to find their baby suffocating.
“When she was very young, she did not have a reflex to know to breathe through her mouth when her nose was blocked. We still have to open her mouth for her [to breathe]. She sleeps very little and sometimes only sleeps for 15 minutes,” says Kyle.
Mom Naticia says they are exhausted and go to work tired.
“It is very scary and we don’t actually sleep because we are worried she can’t breathe,” she says.
The young parents were dealt a blow when they were informed that their medical aid would not cover Arabella’s entire operation.
“The operation will cost R24 000, but the medical aid will only cover just over R8 000. We belong to the Maranatha Morning Star Church and so many of our friends who are musicians volunteered to host a benefit concert to help us,” says Kyle.
The event is being hosted by family friend Darren Dreyer.
“I was visiting them one night and was shocked to see her struggling and thought we must do something to help,” says Darren.
The event will be held at the church tomorrow at 6.30pm, and features a variety of Cape Flats artists, including Erin Faro, Mariska Petersen, Stanley Vermaak and Pastor Clayton Rose.
To book, at R40 a ticket, call
Dreyer on 073 915 4114.