Cake auction to help monkey helper

AN ANIMAL conservationist – after suffering a nasty eye injury last week and undergoing surgery – returned home yesterday in time to receive birthday wishes.

Steve Smit, founder of Monkey Helpline, ran into a stick while gathering chickens in the backyard of his Westville home on Tuesday.

Smit is known for his tireless efforts, saving injured or intrusive monkeys in KwaZuluNatal.

The organisation has attended to more than 2 000 callouts to rescue vervet monkey in the past 12 months.

Carol Booth, co-founder of Monkey Helpline, said the stick had pierced Smit’s right eye.

Eye specialist, Dr Bill Nortje, said the stick had pene- trated all the layers right through to the cornea. Smit’s eye collapsed totally, leaving it, as the doctor described, “like a squashed tomato”.

Booth said: “The specialist immediately trimmed the eye layers, placed antibiotics into the hole and inserted a lens to block the opening, thereby allowing the fluid to slowly refill and reform the eye.”

After undergoing surgery to stitch the injury, Smit was discharged from hospital on strict doctor’s orders to not carry out any more rescues until he had recovered.

A Facebook page dubbed “Operation Steve” has been created where a cake and 12 monkey cupcakes are going on auction. Funds will go towards Smit’s medical bills.

“In two months’ time, he will have the stitches removed and then the doctors will be able to assess how much damage the scarring has caused,” Booth said.

Smit will not be able to read or see fine print with the injured eye, but should be able to function normally once he gets used to the slight blur.

“Nortje feels we may be able to restore the sight and fix the eye, but it will require many further operations. This is an incredibly painful injury and a huge shock,” Booth said.

To donate to “Operation Steve”, SMS “Monkey” to 38021. Each message costs R10.

Alternatively, money can be deposited directly into the organisation’s bank account: Monkey Helpline First National Bank Umhlanga Crescent 220629 Cheque account 62498595770

ABOVE and BELOW: Monkey helper, Steve Smit’s birthday cake. RIGHT: Smit with the chicken, Karooster, he was gathering when he nearly lost his right eye, by walking into a stick at his Westville home. Smit is back home after undergoing surgery to his...