UGANDA: OSTEOSARCOMA CANCER PATIENT THE FAMILY TELL THE MEDIC TO WAIT FOR HER TO DIE

< 15 years old Flavia Acayo, bed ridden Osteosarcoma cancer patient has been sent home twice, first by St Mary Hospital Lacor and later by Gulu Regional Referral Hospital due to lack of treatment fund. GULU-UGANDA: 36 years old Evelyne Akello, says although they have been in lockdown for COVID-19 pandemic little she didn’t know that bad fate awaits her daughter. Flavia is battling two things: Cancer of the bone and trauma for not being able to join senior one, because her mother (a widow) cannot afford tuition. The first born of three sat from Pakiya Primary School in Koch Lii Sub County Nwoya district, Northern Uganda. Her mother narrates to our Correspondent that in January 2020 when she returned home from the garden, she felt pain in her knee, before few minutes turn into severe pain. “Her knee developed itching pain in her right foot, and I thought it was just a normal pain which occur to anyone” she says. Adding “the following morning, the itching pain had grown and escalated to become somethings bigger than what the family expected.” She says when she took her to a private clinic and bought drugs, but it made no difference. When the condition worsens, the family sort medical assistance from |St Mary’s Hospital Lacor this February. “We stayed at Lacor Hospital ward for two months and spent nearly one million shillings, I got from selling all my food stuff. Even borrowing from neighbors had made me feel shameful,” she says. The Hospital did not cure my child she says “they referred me to Mulago Hospital but asked me to pay UGX700,000 for fuel for ambulance and unspecified amount to their doctor who would travel with us,” Akello told reporters. “when to eat is a problem to us! It really sounded as a bomb in my ears and I said eh!” a tearful mother narrates her ordeal while wiping her face in disbelieve “The asked me to cut off the leg of Acayo but I refused.” The widow, did not have a cent even to travel just 6km from Lacor to Gulu Regional referral Hospital which usually cost only UGX2000 (half a US Dollar) per person during this covid 19 Pandemic. However, well wishers help transport them on motorbike to Gulu Regional referral Hospital. Here they hope to get the cure for the rare ailment. While at emergency ward, Doctor Wacha Joshua told reporters the Hospital cannot help Acayo because her condition has gone severe. “It needs chemotherapy or amputating the leg and manage the rest” Dr Wacha says “this can only be done at Mulago National Hospital because we have no facilities.” Akello was deeply troubled and lost hope. she abandoned the hospital and returned home in Koch Lii to see her daughter wears off to her grave. Chimp Report online, a local publication broke the story on July 16, 2020 attracted hundreds of fundraisers. In case of help refer to Evelyn Akello the mother of Acayo Flavia on +256 782118377 SPEAR HEAD Flama Uganda Director Gulu City Flavia Okello Teddy is a medic and a good Samaritan. She began to lobby for aid, and together with a local writer Patrick Uma Lakernon, a writer with Chimp report online, a WhatsApp group launched dubbed by name of Acayo Flavia to raise funds. A sum of close to UGX 1.6million is raised. When Flama Uganda traced Acayo to her village, they found she was laying inside the house in pain. “We found the family is a God-fearing people. They welcomed us with prayers and this is a good thing, motivated me,” she says. “Now we want St Mary’s Hospital Lacor to give the mother a referral document so we can take her to Mulago,” says Flavia. In Kampala, a member of Acholi Students old boy association of King College of Buddu named only as Wilson says he has already hired a hostel for accommodating the family. WHAT IS CANCER OF THE BONE. Osteosarcoma cancer Osteosarcoma is a type of cancer that develops in the bones. It usually affects the long bones, such as those in the arms and legs. Osteosarcoma most often affects pre-teens and teens; the average age at diagnosis is 15. What is osteosarcoma? A sarcoma is a type of cancer that develops in connective tissue, such as bone, cartilage, or muscle. A sarcoma that starts in the bones is called an osteosarcoma, or osteogenic sarcoma. Osteosarcoma most often affects the long bones, such as those in the arms and legs. It usually occurs near the ends of the bones where the fastest growth is taking place (growth plates). The bones and areas most often affected include: • Femur (thigh bone) near the knee. • Tibia (shin bone) near the knee. • Humerus (upper arm bone) near the shoulder. Other less common locations for osteosarcoma include the pelvis, skull, and jaw. What causes osteosarcoma? The causes of osteosarcoma are unknown; however, there are some known risk factors, including: • Rapid bone growth: The risk of osteosarcoma increases during a child’s growth spurts. • Exposure to radiation: This might have occurred from treatment for another type of cancer. This can take a few or several years to occur. • Genetic factors: Osteosarcoma is one of several types of rare cancers in young people. This may be related to the retinoblastoma gene, which can be associated with eye cancers in young children or with other tumors . Dr. CP Opira the Executive Director of St Mary Hospital Lacor has confirmed that they will carry out operation on Monday July 27, 2020, this will rest the long awaited So far, the cancer patient Acayo the fund that ha been raise UGX 1,609 667 according Facebook of FLAMA-Uganda, DHO of Nwoya promised, she gave the mother UGX 100,000 for transport, UGX 70,000 was for transporting her from the village Uma says is still holding some money, but he has to take the money to the mother. .