A Race Against Time: Urgent Funds Needed to save Shadrack's life from Rare Tumor

By Dennis Avokoywa 

A 14-year-old candidate from Rumbie Primary School in Funyula is pleading with well-wishers to help him raise money for a surgery of a malignant tumour that continues to grow on his lower jaw.

Shadrack Rahma Onyango is suffering from ameloblastoma, a rare condition that has since made him drop out of school as the pain in his teeth cannot allow any concentration in class.

In an exclusive interview with the StorySpotlight crew, the distraught teenager said that what began as a normal tooth ache is now threatening to cut his life short if an operation is not conducted.

"I was feeling uncomfortable in my teeth, some unusual pain and my dad advised me to visit Busia District Hospital where I was given some pain killers, by then the tumor had not begun growing, but after some months the situation got worse, the pain became incessant, had to drop out," Says Rahma amid sobs.

In a bid to find a solution to the problem, his father Julius Onyango, a caretaker at someone's homestead who earns a paltry Ksh. 4,000 a month took his child to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu for proper examination.

"I realized that with every passing day the situation got worse, the tumor continued to spread and my son would struggle to eat certain foods, he could not sleep especially during cold seasons, I could feel his pain but there was little I could do due to my lean finances," Said the father.

A diagnostic report conducted at Advanced Care Dental Centre at Jaramogi Oginga Teaching and Referral Hospital deduced that the patient was suffering from ameloblastoma and recommended an urgent mandibular reconstruction and surgery for treatment at a cost of Ksh. 230,000.

The hospital sent further samples to the University of Nairobi School of Dental Sciences for further prognosis. On May 19, a histopathology report confirmed that the teenager’s only way for treatment was surgery.

In a bid to raise Ksh. 230,000 required by Jaramogi Oginga Teaching and Referral Hospital for surgery, the casual laborer whose son is living on borrowed time embarked on a desperate effort of walking with his son across the streets with sheets of profomers trying to get funds.

"I'm but a casual laborer who only takes care of someone's homestead, no reliable income, have been working accompanied by my son and only managed to raise Ksh. 5,000, time continues to tick, with every passing day I fear for the worst, the doctors told me that with every delay the condition becomes fatal," Said Onyango.

So dire is his son’s situation that when the StorySpotlight crew met him, the 42-year-old was taking his son to a local church hoping that the Supreme being would send a helper to treat his son.

"I'm on the verge of giving up in my quest to treat my son, it’s a shame that I 'll watch him die as have failed in my responsibility, I came to cry to God 'mimi nimeshindwa kabisa," he added amidst sobs.

His biggest fear is that if he does not meet the doctor’s timeline of getting his son ready for surgery, the tumor that has spread to the neck, may also metastasize to the brain hence being fatal.

His son though in lots of pain, has not given up is hoping against hope that his situation just like the biblical Marah bitter waters will soon be turned sweet by someone offering to cater for his treatment.

"The fact I'm still alive even with pain means that God has not given up on me, though everything seems bleak, I pray that I get urgent treatment so that I get back my education on track and that my dream of becoming a doctor someday is realized," said the Teenager.