BN Community Centre: Girl with Osteosarcoma

In March 2013, the BellaNaija team asked for your feedback on how to handle the issue of the emails we receive with regards soliciting for financial aid {Click here to read}. We were grateful for your feedback. Over the years, BellaNaija has published various feature stories on Nigerians in difficult situations and we are thankful that our BN Fam has supported in full force. From the man who was wrongly imprisoned for over a decade to and the struggling father suddenly saddled with major financial obligations due to the birth of his triplets.

During this time, we worked to get as much information as we could about different situations that was sent to us. In many cases, the people sending the emails don’t come back to us when we ask for more information. Sometimes they do and we are sceptical about the information given to us and as such we are unable to publish these stories. We will continue to publish these stories, however, we realize this is not enough.

While we are very concerned about the integrity of our brand and are conscious of the fact that there are too many fraudsters out there, we are definitely aware of the major challenges people go through every day.

If you’ve ever had a health-related issue in Nigeria, then you will probably understand that it is extremely difficult to fund your treatment and navigate the healthcare system. Even at the government hospitals (where health care service supposedly subsidized) you find yourself having to pay N50,000 here for something, another N18,000 for something else. Before you know it, you’ve spent hundreds of thousands of Naira. We all know how difficult it is to raise money, even amongst the most ‘comfortable’ people. While many save for a rainy day or have health insurance, most cannot afford to set aside a contingency sum for sudden major illnesses.

In view of this, BellaNaija is launching the BN Community Centre. This online platform will feature “calls for help” as submitted to us. This includes information, photos and account numbers. We are, however, stating categorically that we are doing only basic fact checking, therefore, we will not be held liable in ANY circumstance.

We encourage you to give if you can, however, please ensure you perform independent verification prior to donating any funds.

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I write in my personal capacity on behalf of an old school mate whose 7 year old daughter has just been diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (Cancerous Bone Tumor) at the University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital and requires an operation to treat the already extensive ailment so as to avoid affecting other parts of her body and loss of her life.

The only option available to her locally is leg amputation which offers less chances of survival as the local hospitals do not have much life support machine for kids . According to the report issued by Dr. B.J Brown of the UCH, Ibadan, “since we cannot give a high dose of methotrexate based chemotherapy regimen in Nigeria, she will be offered a protocol for developing countries” and is being referred abroad for further treatment …” (please find attached medical report)

Based on this advise, the family has sought and contacted a hospital in India to which preliminary feedback indicates an immediate cost of USD20,000 for the operation aside other expenses post the session including physiotherapy, feeding and accommodation whilst there for 7 months giving an estimated budget of N7M (supporting documents and analysis attached, though appeal letter is addressed to MTN Foundation)

In the view of the parents inability to raise the required funds and with their consent, I thought to contact you for possible assistance via your veritable platform to appeal to well meaning Nigerians and other nationals in coming to the aid of this young bright girl trusting that in no time the sums required can be raised for her to go back to her normal life devoid of pain and risk of loss of life.

Whilst I await your revert and your support in this regard, please feel free to conduct an independent appraisal of the issue. You may also contact the parents whose contact details are on the attached documents.

In the interim, I have attached all documents at my disposal for your perusal as well as the awareness material for soliciting funds for your possible adoption.

Thank you and God bless you .