Hot Cares helps protect the progress MJ fought so hard to make

When Hot Cares learned about MJ’s situation, it was immediately clear that this was a moment where timing mattered — and where the right intervention could change a child’s future. We reached out to our friends at Silverstar, who didn’t hesitate to pay it forward and step in with support that would protect the progress MJ had already fought so hard to make.

MJ’s young body has endured more than most adults ever will. In December 2023, he contracted pneumococcal meningitis — a life-threatening illness that left him hospitalised for months and, ultimately, with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Since then, every day has been shaped by therapy, treatment and unwavering parental dedication.

His parents, Amo and Mo, have built a carefully coordinated care plan around MJ — working with neurologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other specialists to help his body relearn movement and function. Progress has been slow, hard-won and precious. But in late 2025, MJ reached a critical point in his treatment.

Botox therapy was approved to help relax his tightened muscles, but without specialised splints to support that intervention, the gains would gradually be lost. The splints were essential — not optional — yet the cost placed them completely out of reach for a family already carrying the full weight of long-term caregiving on a single income.

“When you’re doing everything you possibly can and still come up short, it’s overwhelming,” says Amo. “Knowing that MJ could lose progress simply because we couldn’t afford one vital piece of his care was heartbreaking.”

MJ’s case was brought to Hot Cares by his treating chiropractor, Dr Sonja Kneppers, who described a child at a crossroads — where timely intervention could prevent years of future pain, surgeries and discomfort. That is why Silverstar’s decision to pay it forward mattered so deeply.

By covering the full cost of MJ’s splints, Silverstar ensured that the gains made through months of therapy and Botox treatment were protected.

For MJ, the splints mean better alignment, greater comfort and a stronger foundation for future development. For his family, it means relief — and the reassurance that they are not alone.

This is what Hot Cares exists for: stepping in when love, effort and determination are no longer enough on their own — and helping families keep going.