By Gabriel Olawale

LITTLE Christabel Oluchi Nwaogu, who had a successful heart surgery early this year through donations from kind hearted Nigerians is still in need of N540,000 to procure hearing aids.

It will be recalled that on January 5, 2016, Vanguard published Christabel’s story entitled, “Blind 3yr-old girl seeks N0.6m for heart surgery.” Apart from being almost totally blind, Cgristabel could not talk, hear or walk.

Christabel Oluchi Nwaogu

The response was tremendous as kind-hearted Nigerians donated generously.  She now has a better lease of life, walks around and has partially regained her eyesight.

Her father, Mr. Marshall Nwaogu recounted that the whole predicament began two months after she was born.

“We noticed that her body was unusually flexible and she didn’t respond normally . Medical tests revealed that she had a hole in the heart which we understood was responsible for her poor health and inability to walk and see.

“She had surgery in February. however, she is still unable to hear and or talk. Doctors say she requires a hearing aid and antioxidant drugs.

The cost of the hearing aid  and drugs  is estimated at N540,000.

“The help we are asking from Nigeria is not really the money, if any company or individual can donate or help purchase the hearing aid, we would be very grateful indeed.”

A medical statement signed by the Director Nigerian Army Audiological Centre, Dr. Irene Okeke-Igbokwe, confirmed  Christabel has “slow developmental milestone, hyperactivity, delayed speech and language acquisition and hearing difficulty Au.”

In the statement, it was observed that Christabel was diagnosed with audiological and speech abnormalties and dysfunction.

The medic however recommends pediatric neurologic investigation, amplification Au, Speech evaluation/ therapy and annual audiological re-evaluation to monitor patient’s hearing sensitivity.

If you are touched by Christabel’s plight, kindly send your donation to Marshall Nwaogu, GTB: 0015589801 or contact 08038077515 for further details.