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Ademola Aderemi
When Akinkunmi Ogundele lost his mother in July 2018, he nearly lost all hope for life. The reason was that his mother, Mrs. Kafy Ogundele, had been the one taking care of him.
Akin is a sickle cell patient. Like many people with the condition, he suffers crisis from time to time. His present predicament – an ulcer in his leg – began in November 2017. Since then, he has been in pain.
His father, Mr. Ogundele, explained that: “We noticed something like a wound on his left leg, but since we did not know anything about what is called sickle cell leg ulcer, we believed it was a minor injury.
“Akin, my first son, is a sickle cell patient and he has always visited the hospital for treatment. But before we could detect what the problem was, it had become unbearable for him.
“I lost my job about three years ago, and since then it has been very difficult taking care of Akin and his two younger siblings. Some kind-hearted Nigerians assisted us, and we were able to take him to the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State. But right now, he needs to do an operation and we need N2 million.”
Doctor Ilori O.S. of LAUTECH said Akin could get back on his feet if the money was raised for a skin-grafting surgery.
Said the father: “I plead with Nigerians to help me raise the money for his treatment. He is in pain and he emaciates daily.”
Mr. Ogundele said the illness has deprived Akin of university admission on two occasions.
“Every week, we spend N10,000 for the treatment. But right now, we just cannot get the money.”
Akinkunmi expressed sadness that, since he completed his secondary school three years ago, the University of Ibadan and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, had offered him admission. He regretted that his illness prevented him from taking the offers.
“I want to live my life like every young adult, but life has been so difficult for me. Rather than progressing in my education, I find myself begging for help. This is not the kind of life I want. I am appealing to kind-hearted Nigerians to help me raise the money, so that I can do the surgery and get back on my feet,” he said.
Those wishing to help may send their donations to Ogundele L. Oyeniran’s account at Guaranty Trust Bank. The account number is 0109218776. The boy’s father, Mr. Ogundele, may also be reached on 08054181785.
