Three-year-old needs N19m for liver transplant

Three-year-old Onyemaechi Chinedum is in need of N19 million for a liver transplant in Yashoda hospital, India.

Chinedum is said to have been battling the ailment since he was a few days old. To aggravate the situation, his mother passed on nine days after his birth.

While less than a month old, he was taken to the General Hospital, Ikorodu and later referred to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), where he was diagnosed with Obstructive Jaundice.

Chinedum underwent a surgical intervention-cyst extension, cholecystectomy and roux-en-hepaticojejunostomy at six months old.

He was also diagnosed with “infantile cholestasis secondary to a choledochal cyst’’ at four months old at Babcock, which was followed by an enlarged spleen.

A histologic report further revealed the infant had liver cirrhosis after the surgery.

According to medical reports from Babcock and LUTH, Jaundice was noticed.         Following this, LUTH carried out a post-surgery diagnosis and Chinedum was diagnosed with chronic liver disease secondary to the choledochal cyst.

The Paediatric Consultant Gastroenterologist (Dr Adeniyi) at LUTH conclusively noted: “Chinedum is presently on supportive medical therapy and needs financial support to undergo a liver transplant surgery.”

His father,  Chinedu Onyemaechi, recalled that Chinedum was born on April 24, 2019. His wife had him through a caesarean session and she was discharged five days later, but died on the ninth day.

“My boy has been surviving through various medical interventions. But critical now and the only remedy is the transplant, which doctor said costs about $39,000 according to the hospital estimation.

“Please help my son. I lost my wife already. I don’t want to lose my son too,” he pleaded.

Assistance could be sent to FCMB account number: 8725650011, name: Onyemaechi Chinedum Zinachimdi. The father could be reached on 08038972784.