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By Christy Anyanwu
Founder of Heart of Gold Children’s Hospice, Mrs Laja Adedoyin is without doubt a woman imbued with a golden heart that is beyond question.
You see the unfeigned display of love and affection for the children placed in her care at the hospice. These are children she relates to as if they passed through her womb – so when she refers to them as my children, you feel the sincerity of that description like a non-lethal electrical current.
The large facility, situated in Surulere, Lagos is home to children born with severe deformities, physically challenged and end of term kids. When Sunday Sun accompanied SNF Foods Limited on a recent CSR (corporate social responsibility) visit to the hospice, Adedoyin talked about the unique journey has gone through with the children.
Please give us a snapshot of Hearts of Gold Hospice.
I look after 68 children with different levels of disabilities. Some of them also you would see and think everything is okay, but it is not so. Some disabilities you can see, especially when people have physical disability. Then you also see the other group that we call congenital cases. These are children that were born with severe deformities and one of the things that we do here is to give them what we call palliative care, pain management, to make life easy for them to live even though we know we cannot do it all. For some of these conditions, you can also do surgery but for some you cannot do anything.
What has the experience been like in running this place?
It’s been very tough. This place opened 19 years ago, on October 2, 2003. Over the years, Nigerians have been very supportive. Really, Nigerians do give. But then we do have non-Nigerians who also contribute a lot to the growth of this place. First of all, I want to talk aboutt he Indian community in Lagos. They have been with us for about 15 years – you are talking about the Indian Christian and Muslim communities or the Punjabis. This is where they come and we are very grateful to them today. I also want to talk about the Igbo community because there is no point shying away from things that are real, they support us massively here. Then our Yoruba community, our Muslim community. So, this house is what I call a melting pot of all sorts of individuals, companies, churches. Then we are registered with the Federal and Lagos State governments. We are accountable to the Lagos state government.
What inspired you to embark on this?
Usually, when people come here, see my children, they ask me why this kind of children?. And my answer is, ‘why not’. They never asked to be born this way. But because I made a vow. I had an accident in 2000 with this leg. My film was showing at the National Theater and I was going from the main office to the box office in those days. They used to have the box office around that area and as I crossed, I slipped and this leg got twisted back. It got to a point where the doctors wanted to amputate the leg. I made a vow that if God would heal my leg, this is what I would do in appreciation. It wasn’t like I had a vision or I was sleeping and God called me. If He had called me that time, I probably would not even answer because then I was more into parties, enjoying life. But, I am happy where I am today. In fulfillment of that vow, that is why I am here today. A completely new person.
What was it like at the beginning?
Nothing comes easy. You know that in Nigeria, one minute it is okay, then the next minute it is medium size, and next minute after it is complete downturn. In terms of the way people relate, the way people give at that time, it is quite different from what it is today. Now, it has taken another dimension, things are pretty bad right now and I don’t think that there is any household that would not feel it. But that does not mean that my children would not exist. When I say my children, people ask me, you keep saying your children. Yes, they are my children. I am the mother, I am the father. The communities have been very good to us. It is not just money. When people come here, the first thing I ask is, have you seen my children? So, if you want to give us anything, go upstairs and see them. Some people would come now they would not do anything, you can’t hold anything against anybody, they would go. It could be another five or 10 years. Someone came here not too long ago. She saw me on Funmi Iyanda show January 2, 2004 and she just came., Also here, we hardly solicit for help, we don’t write letters but help comes.
If there’s anything like reincarnation, would you still take care of abandoned, physically challenged kids?
Yes. When I started, I went to Alausa to register a children hospice. That is the first thing to do. At that time, there was none in Nigeria. There were homes for people and children with disability but not end of term – because they are most likely to go. They are most likely not to make it till adulthood because of the various forms of disabilities and some of these disabilities are the ones people can see. I always say to people that we are all disabled it just that some are not showing. We all have our strides of mental breakdown. We are all disabled even in our thoughts to other people. I don’t want that person to be bigger than me, there’s something wrong. let there be a level playground.
In five to 10 years, where do you want to see Hearts of Gold?
I don’t know if I will be alive. I am here now, tomorrow is not guaranteed. Whether tomorrow is guaranteed or not there are things that are in place already. You cannot be successful without a successor. What happens to my children when I’m no longer here? All of them will be safe. The first corner of this building does not belong to me or to my blood. It belongs to my children. Now, who is going to look after them? Of course there are plans already. A year before Babatunde Fashola left office, I sent him a message that I wanted to see him. The day we got this house, I said to him, would you allow myself and my children to go to the Catholic Church? Before he left office, I went to see him. It’s not about when I die, its working alongside the Reverend Sisters so that the transistion will be smooth. Nobody could come here from my family to make any claim; there’s no inheritance as far as this building is concerned because people would want to take the building and they don’t want my children. So we are already talking with the sisters. They gave me 100 percent assurance that the hospice and my children are safe and the legacy will continue forever. When the time comes, I will exit and go.
As a person what lessons has life taught you?
There’s nothing to life. It is not a waste if you are able to impact positively. Do as much as you can. Don’t be frivolous, don’t be extravagant, just eat and dream. You can dream in the afternoon, you don’t have to be sleeping to dream. Dream of where you are going. When time comes I will close my eyes. I know I would go nicely because some of my children that have gone they will saying to me that day, ‘Mummy, come over.’ I’m contented and fulfilled beyond what I can say if I’m in the world and I’m committed to what I do.
