Sola Ogundipe
29 January 2008
Lagos — TIME is running out for Baby Andrew Duku, a patient of Down Syndrome (the abnormal genetic condition in which there are 47 chromosomes instead of the normal 46 in the genes).
The hapless boy also has to cope with a life-threatening congenital heart disorder.As things are, the little boy is running a life-threatening race, and except a miracle happens in the form of immediate surgery at Narayana Hrudayalaya Institute of Cardiac Sciences in India to correct the heart defect, it is a race he may not win.
But for the support of the Down Syndrome Association of Nigeria (DSAN) and St. Barnabas Anglican Church in Sagbama, Bayelsa State, Andrew's parents Rev. Anthony and Rosemary Duku would have been at a complete loss as to cater for the ailing child. It is for the sake of Baby Andrew that the DSAN is making an appeal to concerned Nigerians at home and in Diaspora to come to the aid of the child and help raise the required funds to fly him to India for the life-saving surgery.
The amount needed to save Baby Andrew's life is N1.2 million. The breakdown is thus: Air fare to India, Passport and Visa acquisition /logistics for baby and mother is N470 000; pre-surgery investigation and tests is N200 000; the surgery will cost N450 000 while the accommodation and feeding is put at N130 000.
Says DSAN President, Rose Mordi,"We know that people are really sceptical about private organizations and individuals coming to them soliciting for funds but then there are still some genuine people out there that want to help. It is very hard to raise funds but we are determined that Baby Andrew must live.
"We have written to some corporate bodies and individuals we have made personal contacts with our partners asking them to support us to save this boy's life by raising the fund we need. It is just N1.2 million for this operation and will cover the air ticket for the mother, and baby; the surgery fees and accommodation.
Anthony, who had never come across the disorder before in his life, was initially very sad to learn that his first child was down with the genetic challenge. His words: "On Christmas, I was preaching when I heard that my wife had put to bed.
It was a thing of joy and I named him Andrew because he is going to be a preacher as that was the covenant I made with God concerning his life. But two months later, we began to notice features of growth that was abnormal.
I had to summon courage and went to a doctor in Warri who told us that he was suspecting Down Syndrome; that was the first time I heard that name so I was wondering what Down Syndrome was."
The Dukus were to get in contact with the DSAN when he visited a friend and accidentally saw the Association's awareness week celebration on Newsline. Anthony quickly got their details and immediately contacted Rose Mordi, who urged them to come over to the Ogunlana Drive office in Surulere, Lagos.
Few days later, the couple came to the centre and were taken to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) for a check up on the health condition of the child which is normally carried out by the association on all the babies with Down Syndrome brought to them.
At the paediatrics department, it was diagnosed that baby Andrew also had the life threatening heart condition and needed an urgent corrective surgery to enable him survive. That was another blow to the couple; the father confessed that at a time he was compelled to question God why he was passing through the travail.
"I felt very bad and wept. It got to a time when I had to ask God if this was the covenant I had with him. He told me to commit my wife and children unto his hands but this was happening to me. When that report came, I could not pray again, even the next Sunday when I got home I could not even preach; the whole congregation noticed that the spirit of depression was hovering over me.
It took my Bishop and his wife to encourage me and my wife. He told me that if God allows it, he will make provision readily available to stop this particular problem and will not kill the child but at last his will be done if it his will that the child survives at this particular situation then we should praise God and if it his will that the child goes we should still praise him. The association was also helpful as they put us through counselling sessions," he narrated.
The Paediatric Echocardographic report, on Baby Andrew shows he has what is described as perimembranous ventricular septal defect which results in a complete endocardial cushion defect requiring urgent cardiac surgery.
"His condition is very serious so serious that right now we have to put him on anti-heart failure drugs to sustain him and stabilize his condition because the cardiologist said that something needs to be done and done very quickly.
"When it has to do with this congenital heart condition as the baby gets older the condition gets more serious because the heart is pumping over time and it can gradually get to a stop. We are running against time as far as Andrew's case is concerned and we need to do something and the only thing that needs to be done is to carry out corrective heart surgery as soon as possible.
"Fund is one of the greatest challenges we have. We are just asking for the fund for the basic things we need not for any luxury so we have calculated it based on the estimate given to us by the hospital. We are still hopeful that people out there who have the heart to help might be able to help us to save this boy's life," Mordi appealed.
For the parents of Baby Andrew especially the father who left a job with an oil servicing firm to answer the call from God, they are calling on the government of Delta and Bayelsa States to come to their aid and also to help DSAN's efforts.
"I appeal to my fellow brethren in the ministry and the congregation in the body of Christ to come around so that the enemy can be defeated so that the ministers of God can sing praises to God. I call on our leaders in the Niger Delta region where I work as a missionary; they know that our work is the missionary work and presently for five six months our workers have not been paid so anybody going for missionary work is going for a selfless service. "
If you have read this story and you are touched to help in saving Baby Andrew, contact the Down Syndrome Association of Nigeria (DSAN) at 109 Ogunlana Street, Surulere, Lagos State.
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