Tygerberg Hospital saved little Lubanzi Nyongwana after he contracted a rare disease, and nursed him back to health, and now he is celebrating his first birthday. Shortly after his birth, specialists at Tygerberg Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit noticed Lubanzi could not breathe on his own. After extensive testing, he was diagnosed with Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS), a rare disorder that affects part of the brain which controls breathing. Children affected with this disorder “forget” to breathe on their own, placing them at significant risk. Lubanzi celebrated his first birthday at the hospital on Tuesday May 30, which had been his home since birth. His mother, Busisiwe, said: “I am totally overwhelmed that Lubanzi has survived and made it to his first birthday – it is beyond my expectations. Although this is a hospital, it feels like home and is a very warm place. Thank you for the love, care and support you have given to us.”