With a hole in the heart discovered when just six months old, Emmanuel Oyediran, having undergone an operation at the UCH, Ibadan is due for another life-saving operation whose cost is put at N2 million in India.
BORN into the family of Reverend and Mrs John Oluranti Oyediran in 2005, Emmanuel’s birth brought joy to the clergyman’s family but the joy was shortlived when it was discovered that the little boy had health challenges.
As it is the usual practice of a proud father to play with his children, Reverend Oyediran, in one of such outings, noticed that Emmanuel’s breathing was abnormal.
Emmanuel was around six months old at that time. From then, the journey to make the little boy live a normal life began, taking its toll both on the parents’ psychological and financial capabilities.
According to Reverend Oyediran, “on a light day while I was playing with my son, I just discovered that his breathing was becoming abnormal.
On noticing this, I consulted a friend who directed me to a doctor friend in Jericho, where I was directed to the University College Hospital, Ibadan. He was nine months old then in December 2006.
“On discovery, I couldn’t believe my eyes after series of tests conducted and it was discovered that he had a hole in his heart. As a Christian, I believe God is in control and He will perform His miracle in Emmanuel’s life.
This is our story. It has taken us through many valleys but we have a high hope in God that our son will live a normal life again, especially with the help of Nigerians.”
That has been the travail of the Oyedirans since December 2006, when Emmanuel was diagnosed with a hole in the heart.
The family has been running helter skelter in order to see that Emmanuel lives a normal life again. One of the treatments given to him to enable him to get relief was the insertion of a template put in place five years ago. In a letter written by a Paediatric Cardiologist at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Dr O.O. Ogunkunle on August 2006 entitled: Re: Emmanuel Oyediran, (M): UCH No.
1084055, “This nine month-old boy is a patient of the University College Hospital, Ibadan. He has a cyanotic congenital heart disease called Fallot’s Tetralogy. He requires surgery to correct it. Initial surgery in UCH will cost about seventy thousand Naira (N70,000.00k), after which he will require open heart surgery abroad which may cost up to two million naira (N2,000,000.00).”
The race to raise the needed fund for the treatment overseas, according to Reverend Oyediran, has compelled the management of the UCH to assist in raising the money. In a letter signed by the Senior Registrar of the hospital, Dr A. Kigbu, on January 31, 2012, the management gave the family a letter for the authentication of the surgery which would come up in India.
The medical team is ready and the time is up for Emmanuel’s operation.
Funding is however unavailable. This, his father said, was giving him a headache. “As a father, I’m not happy seeing him passing through the pains. As a young boy he can’t relate freely like his peers because of this challenge. The doctors say his PV is high because of his condition. Though I’m a Christian, the only hope we have now is for him to travel to India for the open operation as recommended by the doctors.
I am appealing to Nigerians to come to our aid. We want him (Emmanuel) to live beyond his current age but we don’t have the means now because it’s beyond our reach. But I know that Nigerians would come to our assistance,” he said. Interested persons who wish to assist Emmanuel Oyediran could please send their widow’s mite to: First Bank Account no: 3062617719, Oyediran Johnson Oluranti.
