Usually I don’t tend to walk in customers, but today I had
to as I was on my own in the shop. A gentle,
unassuming man in security guard uniform stood outside the gate peering in, but
seemed too shy to enter. I welcomed him
into the shop. He was there to find out
how much e’Pap costs. He was 50c short
for a packet so I started to dig, in my normal fashion.
His 5 year old daughter needs surgery, but because she is
underweight cannot have it. He was told
at his local clinic that e’Pap would help her to gain healthy weight.
As always my curiosity got the best of me and I had to know
exactly what kind of surgery she needs.
She has a cleft palate. A cruel,
but eminently fixable condition.
The world works in strange ways… through my work at KingGeorge VI Centre for children living with disabilities, I was recently sent information about
an incredible team from the United States, “Operation of Hope” who provide “life-changingsurgical care, healthcare & medical training programs in under-served areasof the world through international collaboration among medical &non-medical volunteers”. They are coming
in May to screen and schedule cleft palate surgeries, right here in Bulawayo.
This unassuming father was amazed at the news and a little embarrassed
at his emotional response. We immediately
emailed the organisation and within a couple of hours had an answer, she is
going to be screened at Mpilo hospital to assess her condition and hopefully be eligible to get the amazing help offered by these phenomenal doctors from very far
away.
Now we have to get her weight up to help her cope with the
trauma of surgery.
Watch this space as her story unfolds.
I have been pretty grumpy with my staff away, but thank
goodness for my daughter who has stepped in to help. But if they weren’t away, I would never have
heard this story and been able to give this poor man some good news for once.
And please don’t worry, she will be getting all the e’Pap
she needs to get her strong and healthy!
