A Non-Governmental Organisation , Gifting Volunteer Network (GVN), has called on Nigerians to support the less privileged citizens, especially the sick. The group made the call while donating N1,740,000 to the family that lost their three-year-old child, Favour Ereniyi, to hole in the heart, at Jakande Estate, Isolo, Lagos.
The Guardian had made a publication seeking the public’s assistance to raise N7 million for Ereniyi’s correctional surgery, but she died weeks later. Speaking during the presentation of the cheque, Founder, Gifting Volunteer Network, David Tamarau-Kuro Belele, regretted the death of Ereniyi before help came. He said: “I was in Ore, Ondo State, to make a donation to a patient battling cancer of the jaw, when I heard the demise of the child. I felt bad, but we have to be here to give the rest of the money we got when we made a publication about the child’s condition. “I came in contact with Favour Ereniyi’s mother through a friend, Babatunde. Young and innocent people lost their lives as a result of a system that is not working and these are one of the things we have been trying to speak on. “We need people to rise up to the occasion to help poor people who cannot afford two meals daily in their homes. Parents whose salary is below N100,000 cannot afford a medical treatment of N7 million. Favour’s case was sad because we thought we would be able to raise the money for her treatment. “Parents whose children have similar cases should come out on time because many of them keep it to themselves by listening to pastors or imams telling them that they don’t need to go to the hospital. We have had cases of people keeping quiet till it got to terminal points.” Narrating the ordeal, mother of the child, Esther Ereniyi, said: “We discovered that Favour’s breathing changed when she was two months old. We took her to Isolo General Hospital, where I delivered her. She was at the hospital for two months and they discovered that she had a hole in the heart.” We were referred to Massey Hospital in Lagos Island, where we spent another two months before we were referred to Babcock Teaching Hospital where they carried out another test worth N1 million. We were told that two surgeries would be carried out at the rate of N8 million. I tried everything to make her live because I don’t want to have more than two children but we lost her. “I wasn’t sleeping well because she was always coughing in the night and my neighbours would be awake, and they usually knocked on my door to ask about her condition. I am a fashion designer, and her father is a barber, but I could not stay in my shop during this period because of her condition. “I went everywhere looking for help before I was introduced to this foundation by a friend. Nigerians responded after we encountered Gifting Volunteer Network, people donated, some even gave N500.” The 40-year-old woman added: “We discovered that her system changed on August 6, and we took her to the hospital where the doctor told us that she had a very slim chance to survive, but she was placed on oxygen. We lost her after three days.” Source: Guardian
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