When I first met him in 2019, Godspower Barnabas was 11 months old and a cheerful little boy. His mother was carrying him near a bus stop and I noticed the head was enlarged compared to the body. He appeared to have hydrocephalus, a condition in which the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord accumulates because of excessive production or a reduced drainage.
I asked some questions and discovered that his head has been getting bigger about two weeks after he was born and he had been referred for a surgery called ventriculoperitoneal shunt in which a pipe that connects the brain to the abdomen, is inserted to drain the excess fluid. However, the surgery was not done because of financial constraints. His father had abandoned him, his four siblings and their mother when the problem started. His mother was confused about how to raise money for the surgery because she could barely feed herself and her children.
I had not started Isonye Foundation yet so I posted an appeal to help raise fund for Godspower to have the surgery done on social media including my Facebook profile, Facebook group (Dr. Ijeoma’s Healthy Kids Community) and Whatsapp groups I belonged to. I had discussed the case with a neurosurgeon, Dr. Kaunda Ibebuike, who worked with me at the Imo State University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH), Orlu, Imo state. He gave me an estimate of what the surgery would cost at IMSUTH, pegged at about 600,000 Naira. He also directed us to a place a computer tomography (CT) scan could be done at a discount.
To my pleasant surprise, we were able to raise 779,000 Naira for the surgery, far above the estimate given by the surgeon. Even more heart-touching was the fact that Dr. Kaunda discussed the case with Dr. Anyanwu, the medical director of Regions Stroke and Neuroscience Hospital, Owerri. The management of the hospital magnanimously offered to do the surgery free of charge! Mama Godspower and I were elated and started preparing to travel from Asaba to Owerri for the surgery.
Located at KM 17, Owerri-Port Harcourt Express Road Mgbirichi, Owerri Imo state, Regions Stroke and Neuroscience Hospital is one of the best hospitals in Nigeria dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of conditions related to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). We arrived at the sprawling grounds of the hospital on the 30th of October 2019 and Godspower was admitted to work him up for the surgery. He was found to have anaemia and was transfused with blood. The surgery was successfully done to the glory of God.
From the money that was raised for the surgery, some was used to enroll all four Godspower’s siblings in school. They had all stopped going to school when the travails started and their father abandoned the family. A caravan (also called “container” in Nigerian parlance) was bought for their mother as a shop to start selling foodstuff. A deep freezer was also bought for that purpose. The rest of the money was kept in a joint account opened by me, Dr. Ijeoma and Mama Godspower (Adaeze Ozobieme) for accountability purposes.
Some of the money was also used for medical bills for Godspower who was later diagnosed to have sickle cell anaemia after having a painful crisis called “hand and foot syndrome”. He also had sessions of physiotherapy at Federal Medical Centre Asaba. Presently he is faring fairly well, was registered at the sickle cell clinic of Asaba Specialist Hospital. His growth is stunted because of the sickle cell anaemia and still requires a medical follow up especially a neurologic follow up.
I want to thank everyone that took an avid interest in his case and donated in cash or in kind to help Godspower and his family. They still need help and would appreciate donations.
To donate, the details are below;
Name of account: Adaeze Ozobieme and Ijeoma Nnodim
Account number: 2255104445
Bank: Zenith bank.
Send a message to isonyefih@gmail.com when you send a donation. Thank you.
