MY WARRIOR IN A WHEELCHAIR

Happy little Hakim has defied medical odds after a near-drowning almost cost him his life

- KIM ABRAHAMS

DOCTORS warned his mother to be prepared for the worst – the chances of survival of most children in his condition were slim.

But Abdul Hakim Madumbo isn't the kind of kid to follow the norm. And his mother isn't the kind of woman to give up without a fight.

Little Hakim is now five in many ways is like any other boy his age. He's obsessed with surfing, loves playing with his baby brother, Yakeem, and has a sweet tooth.

He's proved doctors wrong, his proud mom Tasneem Swartz says – although that doesn't mean life is without challenges for her beloved son.

Four years ago, a near-drowning incident left him in a vegetative state. Because his brain was deprived of oxygen for an extended period, Hakim suffered severe brain damage and developed seizures that occurred day and night.

Doctors told Tasneem her son would never be able to communicate or do anything for himself again.

But she refused to give up hope and started researching treatment and therapy options.

Eventually, she came across cutting-edge stem cell treatment in India, which has proved to help Hakim.

“Google became my best friend and I reached out to everyone I could, Tasneem tells YOU.

"I did what I had to do. I did what any mother would do.”

Her son has clearly inherited her fighting spirit because today Hakim is able to express emotion and communicate through a variety of sounds.

He can also chew and swallow food without the feeding tube he relied on for many months and he recently started attending a daycare centre.

Better yet, he's healthy and hasn't been to the hospital in years.

“The last two times we went to the doctor were for ordinary annual checkups, his mom says.

“And the doctor is always amazed at his progress.''