The Oyedele Family of Abeokuta, Nigeria, is on the verge of penury as mounting cost of treatment for 10-year-old Oluwatibamise puts pressure on family income.
'Bamise', as he is fondly called, was diagnosed with sickle cell anaemia close to his first birthday, and since then has received medical attention at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta. In 2019, when he was six, he suffered his first stroke attack, which affected his right hand and leg. He was placed on chronic blood transfusion and physiotherapy, which quickly drained the family purse.
A year later, he had another stroke, which practically took away functioning in his other leg and left the arm very weak.
For the past seven months, all treatment had stopped for lack of funds.
'Since October 2022, we have had to stop his medications, blood transfusion and physiotherapy - We have simply run out of funds,' laments his doting dad, Hezekiah.
Relations and friends who have been helping are all but worn out - they have their own sea of unmet needs to attend to.
Hezekiah has borrowed massively from the myriad of online loans companies, bait loans he has no means of repaying.
Bamise is the second of four children and the only sickle cell warrior. His father had to quit his job at a private school to attend to his needs 24/7, leaving his wife, a civil servant to fend for the family. He has himself developed health issues spawned by the physical demands of having to lift the child unaided.
Stroke is one of the most-challenging complications of sickle cell. A child with sickle cell is 333 times more likely to have a stroke than a child without SCD. A stroke happens when blood flow to or in the brain is blocked by sickle cells. This blockage slows down or blocks oxygen delivery to the brain.
A child with special needs must have proper medical attention and good feeding. In particular Bamise needs to go back to Exchange Blood Transfusion and physiotherapy. The Oyedeles lack all these luxuries.
Please help if you can - or share Bamise's story with potential helpers.
Account Details:
Bank Name: FCMB Plc
Account Name: Oyedele Hezekiah Oluwasegun
Account No: 0194247019
Phone no: 08064104106
