Sick Pikin Flies Out Another Sick Child for Surgery
By Mohamed Kinawa Konneh
Esther Mamie Margia will departs the shores of Freetown for India to undergo surgery after damaging her gum that was unable to be operated on in country. She will travel to India through the aid of the Sick Pikin Project. This was disclosed in a press briefing on Tuesday 11th July 2023 at the Sick Pikin Office, Savage Street in Freetown.
Giving update on Esther’s case, Alice Johnson, said the campaign to raise money for Ester started a year ago and that funding has been secured for the child to be flown out of the country.
‘We started campaigning to raise the fund a year ago. Thanks to God and our various donors both the child and her mother will leave the shores of Sierra Leone on Wednesday 12th July 2023.
Making his presentation on Esther Margai’s case, Lead Campaigner for Sick Pikin, Ishmael Alfred Charles said they are excited that Esther is traveling to India for surgery.
Charles said Esther fell from her Elder sister’s Friend while they were playing and in the process her two teeth went into her gum.
“The cost for her surgery is around 24 thousand dollars but we were only able to raise 12 thousand dollars. We are grateful to VISTA bank who provided us with 5 thousand dollars, Haja Rashida based in Holland and to Vicky who provided us with another five thousand dollars, he said.”
Charles noted that other people donated and that the sum of 24 thousand dollars was raised making it possible for Esther’s travel to India.
“On my birthday, I spent the whole day on the street asking for donations for the Sick Pikin project. Thanks to Umaru Fofana and people of goodwill who all donated in support of the Sick Pikin project. We have already instructed the bank to transfer money to Super Max hospital for the surgery, he said.’
The Vista Bank representative, Mary Dura, Head of Business in her presentation said over the years they have been partnering with Sick Pikin to support kids with rare cases.
‘We are always there to support the project to be able to care for sick children with cases that cannot be done in country. We will continue to support sick children, she assured.’
Madam Dura said VISTA Bank is happy that the support they continue to give has always help sick children and that they will continue in this direction.
The Mother of Esther Mamie Margai thanked the Sick Pikin project especially the lead campaigner, Ishmael Alfred Charles for his relentless effort in saving the lives of sick children.
“Thank you sick pikin and I pray God continue to protect and provide for the project. I am happy my child will now travel to have her surgery. Thank you God she said.”
Esther Mamie Margai is a one year and seven months old child who suffers from a mass in her left maxillary region, which was noticed after an upper left canine tooth extraction, according to her parents.
The mass has progressively increased in size and now extends to the opposite side of her face, with the tongue gradually projecting outside. According to the reports, the lesion is anechoic, and it measures 34.5x20.3mm, and there was no history of pain or difficulty in breathing, but the child feeds mostly on a fluid diet.
According to her parents, in February 2022, while she was playing, she fell off the hands of her elder sister's friend and broke a tooth. This unfortunate incident was kept hidden from the parents, who were not around at the moment, and only came to learn about the broken tooth after a week of showing signs that things were not okay. She eventually stopped eating and could not sleep due to the pain. She also had a high fever. Her parents then took her to Aberdeen Women Center which is commonly called Mercy ship for a medical examination and possible treatment. From Mercy Ship, she was taken to Connaught Hospital where the tooth was extracted.
Ever since, a “left maxillary region abscess” has developed and continued to date. Her low-income family went back to the dental surgeon who extracted the tooth and has been referred to various hospitals in Freetown, but her situation keeps worsening every day.
