On 16 July, just two days before Mandela Day, Claudia Chetty took her first steps toward a new beginning.

For Claudia, who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, daily life had become unbearable. “My life was torture, painful, and at a standstill,” she recalls. The intense pain and lack of mobility in her left hip had taken away not just her freedom of movement, but her ability to work, live, and engage with the world around her.

Through Busamed Gateway Private Hospital’s Mandela Day 2025 initiative — part of the UniversalCare@Busamed programme — Claudia received a life-changing hip replacement surgery at no cost, performed by Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr Michael Coleman.

Dr Coleman, who generously volunteered his time, shared his motivation for being involved, “The majority of people in this country cannot afford medical aid and, with the deterioration of the public health service, do not have access to quality healthcare.”

He added that Claudia’s surgery was especially critical, “This is a young lady with rheumatoid arthritis who is presently unable to walk without assistance due to severe pain and loss of movement in her hip, a hip replacement will remove her pain and improve her mobility and quality of life,” he said before the surgery.

For Claudia, the impact is deeply personal.

“My life will be better in many ways,” she said. “I will be able to work again and live a pain-free life.”

She expressed heartfelt gratitude for the compassionate care she received, “I would like to thank Trisha Dhanukdhari from Ward C for thinking of me in my time of suffering and letting me know about this programme — and for applying on my behalf. I would also like to thank Busamed Gateway Private Hospital for giving me this opportunity, as well as the doctors, staff, and management team for helping me live my life again.”

Claudia’s surgery is one of three performed at Busamed Gateway as part of the Mandela Day campaign, with 67 surgeries being undertaken across the national Busamed network. Through this powerful initiative, lives are being transformed — one patient, one act of service, and one story of hope at a time.