15 Aug 2009 |
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After waiting for so many months watching their lovely babies deteriorating health conditions, two families were all smiles yesterday as they were finally on their way to India to have corrective heart surgeries performed on the babies, Ajoke Boluwatife Taofeek (12 months old) and Ezekiel Akhigbe (seven months old) who both are Down Syndrome babies with holes in the heart. The families have the Down Syndrome Association of Nigeria (DSAN) to thank for spearheading the fundraising in partnership with members of the public, cooperate organizations and the government for the life saving project.
By Ahaoma Kanu
“I am really grateful to the association for what they have done for us today, I can not thank them enough because they delivered on what they promised and encouraged me throughout the many months I was helpless with Ajoke,” Mrs. Racheal Alele, the foster parent of Baby Ajoke said. “All I can say is that DSAN has made me believe in miracles again,” Mr. Kingsley Akhigbe, a soldier and father to Baby Ezekiel said. The two babies are among the four surviving babies that came to the association this year diagnosed with Down Syndrome; a genetic condition where someone has 47 chromosomes instead of the normal 46, the extra chromosome becomes a disability that can be managed; Four months old Baby Favour Nwoke lost her life before the fundraising initiative started. All four were Down Syndrome with congenital heart defects with different pathetic stories to tell; Baby Ajoke Taofeek lost her mother three hours she was born; Baby Etim Gabriel has been in and out of the hospital for the past two years due to his heart condition; Baby Ezekiel has been having breathing difficulties and could not sleep at night, a situation that kept her mother always shedding tears while Baby Felicia Oyinloye is the first child to a young couple that had never heard about the condition before. But it was a joy, celebrations and gratitude at the DSAN resource centre on the 12th of August 2009 when a press briefing was organized to announce the departure of the two babies to India. As early as 8:30 am, the happy and optimistic mothers arrived the centre carrying their babies who they were now assured would have another chance at living. Also present at the event were members of the babies families, Mrs. Foyinsola Oyebola who represented MTN Nigeria, DSAN staff, members of the Nigeria media which included the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) both NTA 2 Channel 5 (Network) and NTA 10 Lagos; Galaxy Television, Superscreen, The Guardian, Compass, PM News, National Daily, Next, Vanguard, ThisDay, The Nation and so on. Mr. Chuks Etuka, DSAN’s Resource Officer started by telling the gathering what was about to happen. “We have all been working towards it and today, it is happening,” he said. The opening prayers was said by Prince Ajayi who is the father of Baby Victoria Ajayi, the last child to have been taken to India for corrective heart surgery. The DSAN Media and Publicity Cordinator, Mr. Ahaoma Kanu apologized on the absence of the National President of the association, Mrs. Rose Mordi and informed on how the journey started for the babies billed for surgery. “After we successfully in partnership with Nigerians finished Baby Victoria’s surgery, Baby Ajoke and Baby Favour Nwoke and the rest also presented their babies with holes in the heart. It was unfortunate that before we could commence the fundraising project for the babies, Favour Nwoke gave up and that pained and as well spurred every staff of DSAN to make it possible that the others babies would live,” he said. He went on to explain that succour came the way of the babies when TRANEX EXPRESS, a courier company went into partnership with the association after donating some money for Baby Ajoke’s surgery by agreeing to distribute the appeal letters for the fundraising project. Kanu informed that TRANEX delivered over 1000 letters for the association free of charge. He further explained that Baby Ajoke journey to having her surgery was made possible by one of the telecommunication giants, MTN Nigeria when they donated N1.5m as a corporate entity while the MTN staff members contributed N1m to add to the surgery fee. Kanu mentioned that other organizations that contributed to the surgery were Angel of Hope, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and many individuals that called and donated money towards the babies’ surgery. While thanking the Lagos State Governemnt for the help it had been giving the association and the support the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola had promised to assist towards the surgery, Kanu appealed to other state governors and cooperate organizations to come to the aid of the remaining two babies, Etim Gabriel and Felicia Oyinloye to join the others in India in a few weeks time. “The Lagos State government has been supportive of this initiative and sponsored Baby Andrew Duku for the same surgery last year and has indicated interest in the babies. We want to use this medium to appeal to all the other governors that we sent appeal letters to come to the aid of the remaining babies to be able to join Ajoke and Ezekiel in a short time,” he apealled. He informed that the traveling documents and visas of all the children and their mothers have been secured. The MTN representative, Mrs. Foyinsola Oyebode while wishing the babies success in their respective surgeries went retrospect on how MTN came into the picture. “Sometime last year we got a letter from the association requesting for assistance to help take a baby to India. In June this year while we were celebrating our 21 Days of Y’ello Care Project in which we give free healthcare to the less privileged in charity homes, we came to the DSAN centre and saw Baby Ajoke Taofeek. After hearing her story we were touched and discussed this with management which quickly agreed to help with her surgery because it was in line with what the MTN Foundation does amongst it’s huge corporate social responsibility activities to which MTN has invested N2b into. MTN as a corporate organization donated N1.5m while the staff at MTN tasked themselves and contributed another Nm to Ajoke’s surgery,” she explained. She called on other cooperate organizations to step in and join in helping people like Ajoke and others. “I will like to call on all cooperate organizations in Nigeria to come and be part of this kind of project because MTN cannot do it alone,” she said. She went on to also encourage the DSAN staff who as well tasked themselves to donate to the babies’ surgeries not to relent in the works they were doing. Later the traveling documents of the mothers, babies and their chaperone, Mr. Nosa Irabor were presented to them before they proceeded to the airport on their way to Narayana Hrudayalaya Institute of Cardiac Sciences in Bangalore, India. The Chairman, Planning Committee of the association, Mr. Chibuzor Ifeanyi explained that the Save-a-Life-Project is one of the initiatives of the association apart from taking care of people with Down Syndrome. “We have to do this for them because having a hole in the heart even when the person is Down is very devastating and we try to ease this pain for the parents by helping in raising funds the babies. We have been doing this since 2004 and have so far successfully registered five cases of our babies going to India for corrective heart surgery. We urge the governors and other corporate bodies to come and assist us in sending the remaining two babies to India as soon as possible,” he said. Kanu informed that a sum of N5m is needed to make possible the trip of Baby Felicia and Etim. When the parents of the remaining babies were asked how they felt, they expressed optimism that their day would come. “I am happy that Baby Ajoke and Ezekiel are leaving today, it strengthens my faith that my child will also be a survivor. I am very grateful to the association because they are true to their prom ises,” Mrs. Bassey said. For Seyi Oyinloye, mother of Baby Felicia, she can’t wait to take her child to India. “I am not afraid, I know that God will provide the money for us to go and I know that my baby will live,” she said. At the airport, a smiling Ajoke and Ezekiel laughed as their parents said goodbye with the assurance that the next time they come back home, they will come with a new heart.
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