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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Mr. and Mrs. Okeke Chinedu have appealed to members of the public for financial help to save their 10-year-old son, William Chukwuma Chinedu, who requires multiple surgeries costing about N7 million ($15,000) to save him from stroke, hole in the heart and visual impairment.
William, who is awaiting surgery, pending the availability of funds, has spent five months in hospital, until his eventual stroke.
His father, Okeke, told Daily Sun that he had taken him (William) to many hospitals, including the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Rivers State, and Region Health Care, Stroke and Neuroscience Hospital in Mgbirichi, Imo State, for treatment.
The distraught father said, since he discovered a health challenge in William, when the boy was about one year old, the family had tried all it could within its limited resources to save his life, until there were complications in his system.
He lamented: “His illness has gone beyond our management. My 10-year-old son has a hole in the heart, which caused him a brain abscess. He has been in the hospital for five months.
“We started his treatment at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, where he spent months. He had a stroke after the sixth week. He can’t walk now.
“After spending 40 days at the Stroke and Neuro Centre at Mgbirichi, Owerri, he was then admitted to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, where he spent three months.”
According to the father, the boy’s health complications have caused him visual impairment, weak bones and he is too feeble.
He said: “As a result of the stroke, Williams can’t walk and his left hand has become feeble. According to the doctor, his weak left hand urgently requires surgery to remove the weak bones.”
While noting that the little boy has been scheduled for cardiac catheterization, followed by early surgical VSD closure in Narayana Health in Bangalore, India, Okeke lamented: “I don’t have money to take him to India. The estimated cost is $10,000 to $15,000.
“Please, I’m seeking your financial support to save my boy. Please, help me, I’m a desperate father. Please, save my boy.”
The consultant at Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Dr. Mark Okhueleigbe, confirmed the boy’s condition. He stressed that the hospital could not handle the situation. Hence, he was referred where the case could be handled.
He said: “We discharged the boy because we couldn’t do most of the things.”
At present, the boy is at home in Port Harcourt. According to the father, the FMC, Owerri, discharged William on December 29, 2022. But, the family was unable to raise the hospital bill and stayed till February 12, 2023, when they finally left the hospital.
“We were asked to be coming for check-up, or we go to UPTH. But Owerri is far and it is not easy going there. So, we take him to UPTH for routine medical check-up.”
Donations can be made to his account: Okeke Cornelius Chinedu, 0037736988, GTB.
