…Father appeals for help

By Femi Adeyanju

A Nigerian father, Mr. Benjamin Bakare, has made an emotional appeal to well-meaning Nigerians, corporate organisations and philanthropists to help save the life of his nine-year-old daughter, Beatrice Bakare, who is battling a recurring brain tumour and urgently needs surgery.

Mr. Bakare, a low-income worker, said his daughter’s health challenge has spanned nearly three years, disrupting her education, childhood and overall quality of life, while placing enormous emotional and financial strain on the family.

According to him, Beatrice’s ordeal began in 2023 when she started experiencing persistent headaches, dizziness, partial paralysis on the left side of her body and abnormal eye movements. Alarmed by the worsening symptoms, the family took her to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), where medical investigations revealed she had a brain tumour that required urgent surgical intervention.

“She was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2023. At that time, the symptoms included headaches, dizziness and partial stroke on the left side of her body,” Mr. Bakare said. “We were told she needed surgery, and in February 2023, she underwent an operation at LUTH. After the surgery, we thought everything was fine.”

However, the relief was short-lived. In April 2025, Beatrice’s symptoms returned, this time with greater intensity. The family rushed her back to the hospital, where doctors requested a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. The results confirmed that the tumour had recurred and was growing rapidly.”

“This time, the symptoms were more severe than before,” Mr. Bakare explained. “The paralysis became worse, and the growth of the tumour was fast and aggressive. We were told she needed another urgent surgery.”

The family later took Beatrice to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, where she is currently receiving care. Although she was given prompt medical attention, Mr. Bakare said challenges within the health system, including delays caused by a recent doctors’ strike, further complicated the situation.

Medical estimates provided to the family indicate that the initial cost of the surgery is about N15 million, with total expenses potentially rising to N20 million when post-operative care, medication and other related costs are considered.

“As a low-income earner, I cannot afford this amount,” Mr. Bakare said. “We have already spent a lot of money on her treatment over the years, and we are completely exhausted financially.”

Beyond the medical challenges, the illness has also taken a toll on Beatrice’s education and emotional wellbeing. Before falling ill, she was a vibrant primary school pupil who was preparing to sit for her Common Entrance Examination this year. Unfortunately, her deteriorating health forced her to miss the examination, putting her academic progress on hold.

“She was supposed to write her Common Entrance, but because of her condition, she couldn’t,” her father said. “She wants to go back to school, complete her education and live a normal life like other children.”

Mr. Bakare also lamented the psychological trauma and stigma his daughter has endured as a result of her condition, describing her current state as helpless compared to the lively child she once was.

In an emotional appeal, he called on Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, as well as corporate bodies and charitable organisations, to come to his family’s aid so Beatrice can undergo the life-saving surgery either in Nigeria or abroad.

“I know Nigerians are compassionate people,” he said. “My daughter expects her parents to care for her, and that is why I am humbly asking for support. With timely surgery, she can recover and return to her normal life.”

Donations can be made to the family through the following bank account:

Account Name: Olawumi Mayowa Bakare

Account Number: 0811278607

Bank: Access

The family hopes that swift intervention and public support will give Beatrice a fighting chance at recovery and a future free from pain and uncertainty.