The children of a renal disease patient at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Kogi State, and mother of six, Mrs. Veronica Onowu, have also appealed to the public to come to their aid in their bid to raise the needed N5 million to address the health challenge of their mother.
The 52-year-old woman, who was a garri trader until she was diagnosed to be suffering from chronic kidney failure, had been admitted in the hospital since April.
According to a report by the hospital and signed by the Consultant-in-charge, Dr. Ugiagbe G.U, Mrs. Onowu had been on regular session of dialysis which required blood forming injections since April; the treatment he said cost a sum of N85,000 weekly.
The doctor claimed in the report that the lasting solution lies in kidney transplantation, which he said would require the huge sum of N5 million.
According to Mrs. Onowu's firstborn, Okologume Emmanuel, the family had their property to keep the treatment of their mother on, but that the situation was no longer bearable to them, thus the need for the help from well meaning Nigerians.
Emmanuel, who is a student of the Federal Polytechnic, Ida, Kogi State, said things had been very tough for the family since the ailment started some years ago.
"My father is just a peasant farmer. We are six children and two of us are in the polytechnic already. Since this crisis started we have not had it good in the family. I missed an exam in April and the last ASUP strike that disrupted our examination was only a blessing in disguise.
"We have been living on supports from family members and friends but at this stage everyone seems exhausted. We are currently owing the hospital and there is definitely no way we could raise the required N5 million for the transplantation," Emmanuel narrated.
The HND 1 student of the Department of Civil Engineering said he was already finding it difficult to go back to school and appealed to philanthropists to assist the family to rescue their mother form her current condition.
National Mirror