A humanitarian group, Great Ifedinma Friends Club of Nigeria, has pledged to sponsor a N10 million surgery for six-year-old Chimuanya Emegwaribe, who has been battling a severe brain tumour that left her paralysed at the age of four.
Chimuanya was born healthy but later developed partial vision problems after a fall in which she hit her head on the floor. Her condition deteriorated over time, and in 2024, doctors diagnosed her with a brain tumour. At the time, the cost of surgery was estimated at N7 million, a sum her mother, Mrs. Jennifer Emegwaribe, could not afford.
Mrs. Emegwaribe recounted her painful journey, explaining that she moved her daughter from one hospital to another, including visits to local medicine practitioners, exhausting all her resources without any improvement.
“My daughter gradually began losing her sight and now suffers frequent seizures. The more money I spent seeking help, the worse her condition became. To make matters worse, her father abandoned us,” she said.
She described the intervention of the club as a divine blessing, expressing hope that the surgery would give her daughter a chance to recover and live a normal life. She also prayed for God’s blessings upon the group for their generosity and compassion.
The Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare in Anambra State, Mrs. Ify Obinabo, said she was deeply moved when the child’s mother approached her for assistance. According to her, she reached out to the Great Ifedinma Friends Club, which responded positively.
“For the club to commit N10 million for this surgery is a significant breakthrough. They have not only saved a life but restored hope to a struggling family,” she said. She also commended the Gender-Based Violence and Peace Organization (GBV&P) for helping to secure support for the child.
President of the Great Ifedinma Friends Club, Prince Uche Oduche, announced that the group would immediately release an initial N5 million to enable the child commence treatment, while the remaining balance would be paid subsequently.
He said the gesture aligns with the club’s commitment to charity and love, especially in the spirit of St. Valentine’s celebration.
“This is what our club stands for. When we learned about the child’s condition through the Commissioner, we were touched and decided to act swiftly,” Oduche stated.
Chairman of the club’s Charity Committee, Chief IKC Chukwuma, described the donation as an act of gratitude to God for His mercies upon members of the club. He assured that the group would monitor the entire medical process to ensure the surgery’s success.
Also speaking, the Programme Manager of the Gender-Based Violence and Peace Organization, Ubaka Onwuanibe, described the intervention as timely and appealed to other well-meaning individuals to support the child and her family.
The donation has rekindled hope for young Chimuanya and her mother, offering them a renewed chance at life and recovery.
About Author
