By Florence Amagiya

Ganiyu Balogun, 42, could hardly do anything on his own. He was assisted to Vanguard Headquarters to share his story. To him, life is cruel as it has turned once a promising young man with great dreams, into a bedridden chap on the verge of death within a short space of time after a diagnosis revealing the presence of acute kidney failure, or what is termed as ‘end stage kidney disease.’

Today, he is going through the biggest shock of his life, worsened by the inability of his family to raise the whooping sum of N8million required for a transplant in India.

According to his medical reports, a kidney transplant will have to be carried out in India as soon as possible. Balogun who visited Vanguard Headquarters could not control emotions has he narrated the pains and the regular dialysis he  is presently undergoing. “One of my kidneys has failed, while the other is on the verge of collapsing.”

Speaking on his behalf,  Shakiru Balogun, his younger brother lamented that, “it started like a joke,  a mere typhoid fever of some sort. It was treated in due course but resurfaced later and metamorphosed into kidney failure.

“We began to run from pillar to post, seeking medical attention. We visited several hospitals including traditional hospitals, but the illness didn’t abate. It got to a point when he could hardly move  around on his own”.

With his sky-rocketed blood pressure results and his swollen legs, his family  came to his rescue by taking him for a new round of medical check-up. He was taken to Ifako General Hospital  to see another specialist.

“Several tests were conducted in different laboratories in Lagos and it was discovered that his kidneys were failing ; he had developed kidney problem. Medical investigation revealed that he has an elevated urea of 176mg/dl and creating  8.7mg/dl which is referred to as ‘Acute  Kidney’ failure.

“He became so sick; he couldn’t pass out urine on his own. He was given what the doctor described as  salvage dialysis because of his inability to urinate. Further examinations suggested that  he had developed an ‘end stage kidney disease’ which would require a regular maintenance dialysis of about 2-3 sessions weekly which cost N30,000 per session. He will also require a definite treatment of kidney transplant”, he lamented.

According to Shakiru, “he was referred to Gbagada General Hospital to a department known as the Renal Squad from Ifako General Hospital and he was hospitalized for a while.

Since, he developed swollen legs and high blood pressure, the doctors gave him medication to help ease his condition. “He has been going through several dialyses to sustain him, but he couldn’t do the dialysis where he had his reference because there was not enough space for every patient in the hospital.We took him to a private hospital in Oshodi for another round of dialyses.

“These movements, tests and treatments have cost our family more than eight hundred thousand naira, N800,000, but all efforts were to no avail. Unfortunately, our family is financially constrained as they can no longer pay his medical bills. Shakiru Balogun battling tears, said he would never wish his  enemy go through what his elder brother is going through presently. To help Mr. Ganiyu Balogun back on his feet, send your donations to Balogun Wakilu Olabode Account Number: 3019269394, First Bank, Agidingbi.