By Foday Moriba Conteh
During a Press Conference convened at the Caritas Office, within the St. Edward’s School Compound at Kingtom on Friday 10th September, 2021 the Lead Coordinator of Sick Pikin Project, Ishmael Alfred Charles updated pressmen about the departure of Jannet Koroma who is suffering from Meningioma. He informed that she will be departing the shores of Freetown on Saturday 11th September, 2021 for New Delhi in India for a surgery to be done on her at the Max Super Specialty Hospital. The Lead Coordinator of the Sick Pikin Project also used the opportunity to update the Press on their intervention and successes so far.
Ishmael Alfred Charles pointed out that since the inception of the Sick Pikin Project four years ago, it has raised and spent funds on children which has helped saved the lives of more than Sixty four (64) children internationally that were faced with critical health conditions and about 96 locally, adding that they are still in the process of saving the lives of poor and vulnerable children in the country.
He said that currently they have a growing number of children approaching their office on a daily basis looking for help, in very desperate moods and with life-threatening medical conditions, stating that as of on the 10th September, 2021 there are 28 more cases of sick children awaiting funds.
Ishmael Alfred Charles said, however, the most worrisome thing is that they don’t know when and where the next help will come from as the complications increase on the children on a daily basis.
Highlighting the most common cases that the project has helped since inception, the Lead Coordinator of Sick Pikin Project stated Congenital Heart Diseases, Hydrocephalus, Imperforated Anus, Wilms Tumor, Orbit Tumor, Breast Tumor/Lumps, Burns, Meningioma etc.
Ishmael Alfred Charles revealed that the project has recently facilitated the treatment of Tanya A.M. Kamara who was suffering from Congenital Heart Disease, Prince Kamara who was also suffering from Congenital Heart Disease, Divine Kamara who was suffering from Congenital Heart Disease and Blessing Finda Abu who once swallowed her earrings.
He further called on all to help the Sick Pikin Project to focus on giving children another chance to live and by donating to the project in order to make it happen stating that a little amount monthly will not be little when using it to save lives.
Moses Kamara, father of Prince Kamara extended his sincere thanks and gratitude to the Sick Pikin Project and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation for coming to their aid and in order to support his child get proper medical treatment in India, adding that he had lost all hope until he came in contact with the Sick Pikin Project maintaining that he is proud to say Prince Kamara has gone through the treatment and he is doing well. He further added that before this time Prince Kamara cannot play like other children but said after the successful treatment he can now play like any other child.
Beatrice Rosaline Faux, the mother of Tanya A.M. Kamara also extended gratitude to the Sick Pikin Project and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation for facilitating the treatment of Tanya Kamara in India.
She also used opportunity to plead to all Sierra Leoneans both at home and abroad to continue to support the Sick Pikin Project which she said has been playing a pivotal role in saving lives especially those of less privileged children across the country.
Jessica Koroma, the parent of Jannet Koroma, who is currently in India for treatment, also narrated her child’s story revealing that since when the child was 9 months old, they started noticing her having an eye problem prompting them to visit so many hospitals in the country but said all those efforts proved futile.
She said that her child suffers pain especially during the night and that since then she cannot play with her colleagues but expressed optimism that her child will go through the surgery successfully.
