Help save baby Isabella Stark’s life

On Monday 13 September 2021 it was a normal morning in the Stark household in Ermelo South Africa where Isabella (14 months old) was being her bubbly self walking around and snacking on some crushed nuts when she tripped and started crying.

As she started crying took a deep breath in where the crushed nuts in her mouth were inhaled into her lungs and she started choking and then went unconscious. As this was happening Isabella's mom screamed for help and Isabella's grandparents came rushing in to see Isabella's body lifeless and immediately tried to clear her airways and realized that it was too deep in so started doing cpr. In this time Isabella's father was contacted and told to rush home from work to get Isabella to hospital. From the time the Isabella choked to being in the emergency room was around 15minutes where continual cpr was being done to keep Isabella alive.

Once they got to Ermelo Hospital where the Emergency department continued doing cpr until they were able to get Isabella's heart to start pumping again. Isabella was then placed on ventilators and the hunt for a bed in a hospital with a specialist started.

Unfortunately due to the pandemic Isabella's father had to find a new job and therefore does not have Medical insurance so they were searching for a bed in a government funded hospital to no avail. We were then able to find a be at Netcare Garden City in Johannesburg which is a private hospital under the care of an amazing medical team lead by Dr Bartlett.

Isabella was airlifted to Netcare Garden City where the doctors stood ready to receive her and prep her for emergency surgery to remove the particles lodged in her lungs.

Isabella underwent surgery and was then placed under sedation to begin undergoing Neuro Protection Therapy.

Isabella's Parents got to see her after placed under sedation before the strict rules of only 1 parents is allowed to visit per day for 1 hour.

Isabella is still sedated and if all goes well will slowly be woken up on Friday with her parents standing close by for her comfort.

We come to ask for any donation possible to assist with these very high medical bills which is already around R350 000 if not more at this stage only 2 days into her stay at the hospital. Every cent counts towards assisting to with the medical costs to save Isabella's life. We think you in advance for every donation and prayer.

The Stark Family