Beverly Bizeki
A Lower Six pupil at Pamushana High School is appealing for financial assistance to raise around US$13 000 from well-wishers to get treatment in India for a bone tumor that has developed on her right leg.
Mercy Mapipi (18) is currently not going to school because of the growth which has caused a lump just below the knee.
Mercy’s Father Maxwell Mapipi said they have been to Zambia where they were advised that she be amputated or go to India.
“We are appealing to well-wishers to raise about USD$13 for medical treatment and two air ticket to India where we were referred by Doctors.
We have been running around trying to find help and we ended up in Zambia where they advised us that the only solution was amputation since the disease was still below the knee. They also gave an option to go to India and we did quotations but we are failing to raise the amount since we exhausted all savings and I even sold my car to go to Zambia,” said Maxwell.
He said doctors in Zambia said she had sarcoma cancer and initially he had agreed to have her amputated but she and other family members said they should try the India option.
“In Zambia where we sought medical treatment she underwent various scans including X-Ray, blood tests, MRI scans, CT scan and they confirmed she has sarcoma cancer and has not yet passed the knee,”
“I had agreed but she and other relatives were against the idea so now we are trying to raise the money but it is an uphill task,” said Maxwell.
“It is difficult for us to raise the money as her mother is a teacher and I am not formally employed and I am a hustler,” said Maxwell.
He said when the tumor started, she just felt an itching sensation and they thought it was a simple injury and they only rushed to seek medical assistance after it started swelling.
She started complaining of an itching sensation on the leg and she suspected that she could have had a simple injury at school. It got worse in November when she about to sit for her ‘O’ level.
“Some local doctors we enquired from said it was a bone problem and had shortage of blood in her body and we bought medication and she went on to write her exams and passed well,” He said.
It was after she was send home from school that another local Doctor advised them that it could be cancer and they tried a number of options which led them to Zambia.
Currently Mercy is not in school as her condition has worsened although her school fees has been paid.
He said Mercy wants to be a lawyer and her hopes could be shattered if she doesn’t get assistance in time.
Well-wishers can contact Mercy’s mother Phiona Munago on 0772259385 or send donations on the following account.
Standard Chartered USD ACCOUNT- 8700269300500
Standard Chartered RTGS ACCOUNT – 0100269300500
