The hole-in-the-heart surgery in India will cost N4million but we couldn’t afford it- Khadijah Lawan, beneficiary of MTN Foundation free heart surgery in India
“When he was about 10-month, he usually cried, his mouth will turn yellowish & bluish. He was always getting tired anytime he walked. When we took him to the hospital, we were told he lacked protein. So I left in anger because I gave him enough protein. From the radiography we did at the teaching hospital, we discovered he had a hole-in-the-heart. We were referred to an hospital in India for the surgery which we were told would cost N4milion. The cost prevented us from taking him to India. Later, we heard of MTN Foundation and we ran to them, and they came to our rescue. Usman is healthy now; he can walk without tiredness. We thank God and MTN”
Two-year-old Usman Mahmud was diagnosed of a hole-in-the-heart when he was just 10-month old. His mother, Khadija Lawan was just a student in Kano at the time. She almost lost all hope of relieving her dear son of the devastating effect of watching him live in perpetual pain especially when she was slapped with a bill of N4million as cost of travelling to India for a heart surgery. Her joy was renewed when the MTN Foundation granted her application to have an all-expense-paid trip to India with her son for a free heart surgery.
Weeks after, she’s back in the country counting her joy and basking in the euphoria of the successful operation. She and some other beneficiaries were welcomed to a heart-warming reception at the MTN head office in Ikoyi on Thursday February 11, 2016.
The Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Ms Nonny Ugboma in company of Mr. ‘Tsola Barrow, Sales & Distribution Executive, MTN Nigeria, couldn’t hold back her tears when she saw handsome Usman who could barely talk nor play prior to the surgery, but now running around within the MTN Nigeria head office during the welcome reception organized in their honour.
“How wonderful it is to see these little children restored to an active life. These children who were brought here were looking frail, dull and inactive. But now, they could run, play, jump and look for trouble. Nothing else can bring us greater joy than seeing the faces of these children light up for happiness. We are happy that for those of them who couldn’t go to school, or those who stopped along the way when the illness became especially pressing can now resume school. We thank the parents for allowing us to impact the lives of these little gifts from God,” she said.
The MTN Foundation Medical Intervention Scheme has produced about 50 beneficiaries in its five years of existence. Since inception, the Foundation has spent over N18billion on various initiatives in 550 project sites across the 36 States of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
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