By Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu

Times are hard for once boisterous six-year-old Joshua Okojie and her aunt Miss Mary Asuelemen as Asuelemen battles to save the life of Joshua diagnosed of leukemia (blood cancer) to which he has lost one eye.

The boy has for the past one month been on admission at the Paediatric Ward of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, Benin City for chemotherapy which should have only eight days but for some complications.

Joshua Okojie

At the hospital complex, the aunt narrated Joshua’s ordeal.

She disclosed that the boy had earlier spent over three months at the General Hospital in Warri, Delta State.

Doctors, according to her, say Joshua needs not less than N25 million for his treatment to be completed abroad, specifically India.

Boy hails from Ekpoma in Edo State but is under the care of his aunt because his parents, not married, live apart and both have medical challenges.

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Asuelemen, who said she had sold virtually everything she had to save the young boy who she described as very brilliant, said the problem started like ordinary ailment in October 2017 and doctors at the General Hospital in Warri, where she resides, thought all he needed was antibiotics but the situation later degenerated to a fortnightly blood transfusion after genotype test indicated that he is AA.

She said a small growth in one of his eyes led to a scan which revealed that the growth was cancerous.

“On the 8th of November 2018, I saw a red substance on his eyes. My husband and I went back to the hospital and thereafter they said we should go for CT-scan and after that they said the case was beyond them and referred us to UBTH”, Asuelemen narrated.

“We came to UBTH and, after several tests, he was placed on admission and they started treatment and the eyes started bulging out. They operated the eyes and removed one of them.

“The treatment has drained my purse. I don’t know anybody to run to. They have done three out of eight chemotherapy sessions he is billed to do; so I really need help from the public and government”.

Meanwhile, doctors at the UBTH want Joshua taken overseas for bone marrow transplant as quickly as possible for which

N25 million is needed.

Asuelemen explained, “We have been coming for chemotherapy and we are on the sixth session; we have been here since the 11th of last month (June). The chemo is supposed to be for eight days but since that day he (Joshua) has been down. They (doctors) said his platelet is down, so we have been transfusing because, before they can start the chemo, the platelet must be high.

“I have been buying drugs to boost the white blood cells. They want to conduct a fresh test to know whether the tumour is still there but they say the best treatment is bone marrow transplant which is very expensive.

“The machine producing platelet is down. The consultant told us this (Tuesday, July 2) morning that we cannot be discharged. They said the transplant is the best option and the earlier we do it the better for the child and it will be done in India”.

One of the consultant doctors handling Joshua’s case confirmed that the best treatment for the boy is blood marrow transplant, pointing out that such treatment can only be secured outside the country.

“The support he needs, he hasn’t got the resources for that. For treatment of leukemia, the patient needs a lot of money. The best thing for him is get a transplant. Other treatments can be handled here but the transplant, he needs to seek care elsewhere”, the doctor said.

Joshua’s distraught aunt has opened an account to enable well-meaning people help raise the money for the boy’s treatment abroad. Account details are as follows: Okojie Joshua with Account Number 3130373035 at First Bank, while Asuelemen can be reached on mobile phone number 08034426802.