Update on Okiki, the child born without 50% of her skull

On May 13, 2010, a baby girl; Okiki(Jesu) was born to the Olawuyi’s in Ibadan, oyo state, Nigeria, with a rare medical condition subsequently diagnosed as ‘Congenital Cranial Deficiency’. In other words, she was delivered with at least 50% of her skull unformed. For the Olawuyi’s, that day marked the beginning of a 3year struggle against stigmatization, discrimination & near hopelessness. 

  

After rejections from several hospitals around the world, renowned neurosurgeon at the Johns Hopkins Medical International hospital, Baltimore, Maryland; Dr. Ben Carson agreed to lead a team of surgeons in performing a skull reconstruction surgery on 3 year old Okiki. After a review of her case history, the tentative cost of Okiki’s surgery was put at US$234,000 (Two hundred and thirty four thousand United States dollars). On receiving this estimate, GIPLC reached out to her local network of donors and phenomenally raised this sum of money in approximately 72hours.

3 year old Okiki and her parents under stewardship of Coordinator and Project Director of GIPLC journeyed to the US on May 4^th 2013 to undergo her skull reconstruction surgery which was scheduled for the 22^nd of May 2013 at the Johns Hopkins Medical International. However, complications have occurred following her over 14 hour’s initial surgery, as a result of inconsistencies in her medical history, in addition to the fact that it was a maiden attempt in paediatric neurosurgery. This has led to a further accumulation of medical bills totalling over US$500,000 (Five hundred thousand United States dollars), a figure that increases with each passing day Okiki spends at Johns Hopkins. 

Prior to the complications which have arisen, what made a determination of the full cost of Okiki’s surgery difficult is that in modern times, it is an extremely rare (perhaps singular) medical condition with no precedence to draw indicators from. This latter fact also means that it is equally difficult to tell what other medical complications may arise; just like the fluids that were retained in her cranial cavity has posed an unforeseen challenge and may have led to a fatal infection.

As Okiki may not be released from hospital until all outstanding bills have been paid on one hand, and as we and her parents are desirous of her condition being fully remedied before she does leave the hospital on the other, we would like to appeal to the global public to support our cause in ensuring that Okiki gets a full chance at life.

Your donations go directly to Okiki’s account with Johns Hopkins Medical International.

We thank you for your generosity.

GIPLC

For more info call GIPLC 08089693240, 08163183797, 08085101664

NOTE; The over 7 billion people that inhabit the earth, okiki is the first known patient to undergo such a treatment and still be alive, for her condition, on that scale.

The Global Initiative for Peace Love & Care (GIPLC) is a charitable organisation based in Abuja, Nigeria that works with orphans & vulnerable children aged 0-9 years. Over the last 7yrs, GIPLC in partnership with a broad network of supporters has raised the equivalent of US$2M through local fundraising initiatives toward increasing access to education, nutrition, health, water, hygiene/sanitation for over 4000 Nigerian children.

Posted by Linda Ikeji

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