By STELLA GOMA –
THE mother of eight-year-old Miracle Nyambe, who is battling cerebral palsy in Mongu district, is appealing to President Hakainde Hichilema and other well wishers to help her son access specialised treatment in India.
Jane Kafulo, a single mother of three, said her son was scheduled to travel to India for treatment early this year but due to financial constraints, the journey was put off.
The amount required for Miracle’s recommended stem cell treatment in Asia is over K380,000.
“They recommended that the child can undergo stem cell transplant or therapy, and I was given the admission at a total cost of $20,000. But looking at my capacity, I cannot afford that much. Please my President, please come through for me. I am suffering,” she lamented.
Ms Kafulo said she is hoping to see her son become independent and go to school, which is possible if well wishers helped her.
“There is no one to help me. My mother is aged and I am the one catering for the needs of other dependents too,” she said.
She explained that Miracle’s father denied responsibility upon seeing the condition of the boy.
Ms Kafulo said the decision by Miracle’s father to reject his son worsened her burden.
This reality dawned on Ms Kafulo in 2013 when Miracle Nyambe failed to cry at birth.
She waited for things to change but it was not to be because at three months, Miracle was not able to sit on his own or control his body posture.
Doctors soon revealed that Miracle had cerebral palsy.
Limulunga district health expert Matthias Msimuko provided insight on cerebral palsy.
He said cerebral palsy is a problem with the brain that affects movement and coordination which develops before, during, or soon after birth.
“Depending on the part of the brain which is damaged, people may not be able to do certain things. They may not be able to talk, walk, or control saliva, thus causing drooling in a client and causing a vegetative look,” he said.
The health expert, who said the management of the condition is mainly rehabilitative, explained that there is a certain level of rehabilitative services at Lewanika General Hospital at the physiotherapy department in Mongu.
Ms Kafulo also said taking care of Miracle on her own has been challenging because being a boy, it is difficult for her to lift him.
“Miracle has just become like a baby to me because everything is dependent on me. He still uses diapers at eight years.We still feed him. He feeds on cereal food and rarely eats nshima because he vomits most of the time,” she said.
Ms Kafulo said she is a single mother who is raising the child alone.
She said although Miracle’s father is there, hehas denied responsibility.
Ms Kafulo said currently, her son undergoes physiotherapy at Cheshire Homes and Lewanika General Hospital, but sometimes she lacks money for his transport.
She said although she wanted Miracle to be educated because every child had a right to education, she could not afford to pay for his special education needs which were expensive for her.
“It’s quite expensive because l enrolled him at Cheshire Homes in Malengwa. Now the school is far and transport is costly. I spend K100 each day for his movements because I use public transport,” she said.
She said she needed help to raise her son.
She was unable to lift him and change his diapers and sometimes had no money to buy the things he required.
Ms Kafulo also asked for help to enable her venture into farming because she recently bought land which she wanted to develop in order for her to be financially self-reliant.
“I have managed to buy land to farm on because I want to sustain the needs of my children. I am on my knees asking well-wishers to help me develop my land,” she said.
With the availability of advanced treatment for cerebral palsy, there is hope for Miracle to experience wellness, but that is only possible if well wishers come help Ms Kafulo to take her son to India.-ZANIS