A distressed mother, who has been carrying the burden of taking care of three sickle cell anaemic children for over 20 years cries out for help after one of the children, Precious, a 500-level Law undergraduate of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Oyo State, who couldn’t bear the hardship any longer attempted suicide twice. Babajide Okeowo writes of the agony of a mother whose only wish is to see her children outlive her.
Children, as the saying goes, “are the heritage of the Lord.” But for Mrs. Felicia Oyebola Atolagbe, the children who are supposed to be her source of joy have become a source of constant tears and sorrow, as she has been battling with the hardship of caring for not one or two, but, three sickle cell anaemic children for years without any hope of respite in sight.
Felicia, who hails from Ekan Meje, Oke Ero Local Government of Kwara State, got married to her husband, Rufus Atolagbe, about 21 years ago, amidst pomp and ceremony, and like many newlyweds, she had high hopes of blissful years ahead. It was not to be, as the dream crashed just as soon as it started. The three fruits of the marriage: Precious (20), Praise (18) and Paul (13) all carried the deadly sickle cell anaemia.
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Sickle cell anaemia is an inherited form of anaemia, a condition in which there aren’t enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen throughout the body. In sickle cell anaemia, the red blood cells become rigid and sticky and are shaped like sickles or crescent moon. Periodic episodes of pain, called crisis are a major symptom of sickle cell anemia. Pain develops when sickle-shaped red blood cells block blood flow through tiny blood vessels to the chest, abdomen and joints. Pain can also occur in the bones, the pain varies in intensity and can last for a few hours to a few weeks, most times death occurs from complications, arising from sickle cell anaemia.
Since the discovery that the children are carriers of the sickle cell traits, it has been raining trouble, pain and stress in buckets for the parents and the kids, as they spend countless days in and out of the hospital, a large chunk of the family’s finance has also been sunk into hospital bills. The strain was not initially felt, as the father, Rufus Atolagbe, was working with the then Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PCHN) and has been largely responsible for the upkeep and the medical expenses of the children. All that changed when he was consumed in the privatisation of the organisation in 2015, as he was among those unceremoniously laid off.
Since he was kicked into the labour market, the cross of providing for the family has fallen on the slender shoulders of Felicia, who has been facing what she described as an “uphill task” of meeting the children’s medical and educational needs.
As if the burden of being jobless is not enough, Rufus is a constant visitor at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi Lagos, where he undergoes routine physiotherapy session for Displaced Spinal Disc, a serious health challenge, which has rendered him incapable of doing any form of a menial job.
To add to the already worse situation, the family’s eldest child, Precious, who is a 500-level Law undergraduate of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo State, has been in and out of the hospital in recent months where she had undergone Exchange Blood Transfusion. She has been on admission since January 3, 2019, where she was placed on oxygen for days and she was transfused severally. Due to the precarious situation she is faced with, Precious has attempted suicide twice but was saved by Providence.
Similarly, Praise, the second daughter, who just completed her secondary school education, was recently discharged from the hospital after she had surgery for appendicitis. It was not a minor operation, considering her status, she had to be transfused.
Paul, who is the boy amongst the children, is in senior secondary class and currently, he has been in and out of the hospital.
In an emotion-laden appeal to well-meaning Nigerians to come to her aid, Felicia said she couldn’t bear the hardship anymore, hence her resolve to seek for assistance.
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“My husband and I have not been able to cope again with the demand of the crisis of my children’s health expenses. I am living with a lot of pain in my heart and tears. I don’t want to lose these children no matter what. Presently, I am so depressed and traumatised and that is why I am reaching out to my fellow Nigerians to help me lift this cross that I have been carrying alone and silently for years. Considering the present ordeal of the children and my financial handicap, I am really scared for their lives. I just want them to outlive me,” she appealed in a quivering voice before bursting into uncontrollable tears.
Considering the recent ordeal of her eldest child, Precious, Felicia said she is afraid she might just lose her because she is not getting the required medical attention due to “our present financial situation.” She desires to survive her ordeal and the associated stress and hope to advocate for children with this condition in the future.
According to her, she has currently incurred a huge amount of debt in hospital bills and outstanding school fees and it is becoming increasingly difficult for her to bear the burden alone. “This is why I am calling to well-meaning Nigerians to come to my aid and assist me,” she said.
For well-meaning Nigerians, who want to assist Atolagbe and her family, below are their contact details.
Name: Felicia Ayoni Oyebola Atolagbe
Phone:08037164624
Email:ayoni_atolagbe@yahoo.com
Bank Account: ATOLAGBE FELICIA: GTBANK: 0007187156