Voices/Glenn Maffia

FOLLOWING money raised by kind-hearted readers and friends, Voices is happy to report that Ela Tanik is presently recovering after undergoing heart surgery at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital

As a brief recap, Ela, whose father Servet, lives in Didim, was born with the very rare CHARGE Syndrome, a disorder that affects many areas of the body.

CHARGE is an abbreviation for several of the features common in the disorder: coloboma, heart defects, atresia choanae (also known as choanal atresia), growth retardation and ear abnormalities.

Her family’s insurance company paid for her urgently needed heart operation which included a new technique ‘cone reconstruction’.

However long-time Didim expat Seán Mac Conmara, a friend of the family, was moved to launch a GoFundMe page to raise funds as the family’s insurance would not extend to covering living and accommodation costs for Ela’s mum, Gaby, in London while her daughter recuperated.

But thanks to the public, the funds were raised.

Here’s a piece from Voices columnist Glenn Maffia, who helped guide the family, while based in his native London during the time of Ela’s surgery.

Glenn Maffia writes: “Trudging across the building site which currently masquerades as the London Underground system whilst awaiting completion to the cross-rail development, I made my way to the City of London airport to welcome Ela and her mother Gaby.

“The hissing doors of the exit from the Arrivals area soon automatically folded back, and there was Ela in her wheelchair, a beaming smile upon her face that gave forth warmth to offset this cold and wet November day.

“A black cab ride through central London, passing many historical sites, soon had us at the Swinton Hotel close to Kings Cross and within walking distance from Great Ormond Street Hospital.

“Unfortunately access proved difficult as this old building nestling within a row of terraced houses offered no wheelchair-friendly environment. A number of steps needed to be negotiated before entering the lobby, whilst the corridors were narrow and twisting and strewn with heavy fire doors. The whole atmosphere felt cramped.

“Gaby decided that this would do as a base for a few days until we could find another hotel more conducive to Ela’s requirements, which we duly found upon our ambles within close vicinity to the hospital. The vastly superior and more sophisticated Imperial Hotel right on Russell Square was merely a 5 minute walk from Great Ormond Street.

“We spent a few days seeing some London sites which would be of interest to Ela, she especially enjoyed the Science Museum and getting up so close to the tourist-friendly squirrels in Green Park.

“Soon it was time for the hospital procedures to be faced; lots of paperwork to be filed and pre-op medical checks to be conducted, though all were admirably negotiated by Gaby and Ela respectively.

“There was a day delay to the admittance for the first heart operation; therefore we had an extra day which Ela decided would be spent at the M&M superstore in Leicester Square.

“The next number of weeks were fraught with troughs and euphoria as Ela first sank low and then responded to the treatments being administered. All in all this redoubtable and resilient little 6 year old underwent three major heart surgeries, suffered a minor stroke and was pushed and pulled around (necessarily) by the medical staff, tolerated constant checks and examinations and all from people who she couldn’t understand.

“Naturally she had her mood swings where she was just obviously completely exhausted by the whole procedural ‘fuss’ and the endless grind of having to endure, when she would much prefer to be merely playing.

“At long last Ela was in a well enough condition to be discharged from the place which had been effectively ‘home’ for nearly six weeks.

“Her mother wisely decided that she did not want Ela to leave London scarred by harrowing memories as well as a scarred body and they spent a couple of days of smiles and fun ambling around the Christmas attractions, the festive lights and the generally prevalent mood of celebration which that time of year lends to all.

“We all most certainly applaud the heroic efforts of those who donated to the fund and charity event to raise the money needed to enable the hotel expenses and living London costs to be covered sufficiently. You know who you are, give yourself a laudatory slap on the back.”