An operation will restore movement to paralyzed father.
Funding request: $4,532.53 CAD
Critical Need: CN-GND0525
Jacob lives with his wife, Judith, their five-year-old daughter, and his late brother’s daughter, who they cherish as their own. Like many rural Ghanaian families, their main source of livelihood and nutrition is from their farm. Despite their hard work, Jacob and Judith struggle to send their children to school.
One morning in June 2024, Jacob went to work on the farm as usual. Around mid-morning, he started to feel a sharp pain on the left side of neck. Assuming it was just strain, he kept working. Soon it had moved to his armpit, then again to his spine. When he went to bed, his neck suddenly stiffened, and he couldn’t turn it.
Judith took him to the hospital, where he was admitted for a week. After a few days, he collapsed – he’d lost control of his left leg. Soon, he’d lost all sensation and movement from his abdomen down. The doctors couldn’t find an immediate cause of his paralysis, and referred him to a regional hospital, where he stayed for six weeks. Despite various assessments, no conclusive results were found. He returned to the hospital after a month, where the doctors told him he’d need to travel to a southern city for an MRI.
Reviewing the results, the doctors diagnosed him with thoracic kyphosis (excessive curvature of the spine) consistent with Scheuermann disease, a developmental form of the condition, in which the vertebrae grow into a triangle formation.
According to the results, the doctors explained to Jacob that the only solution to his worsening paralysis and nerve-related symptoms was to undergo spinal cord surgery. The surgery was necessary to relieve the pressure on his spinal cord, which was likely causing his paralysis. The procedure would correct the malformation that was compressing or damaging the spinal cord and prevent any further deterioration.
But this would come at a private cost that Jacob knew he couldn’t afford. He reached out to the Nandom sponsor site staff and requested support. In turn, they have requested critical needs assistance for $4,532.53 CAD to cover the surgery, consultations, x-rays, MRI, lab work, physiotherapy, inpatient nutrition, and all pre- and post-operative prescription medication.
Jacob, currently living with partial paralysis, is struggling with the significant emotional, physical, and financial strain his condition has placed on his family. Support would restore his dignity, relieve daily care burden, and allow them to focus on rebuilding. This funding would be a lifeline for a family that has exhausted all options and is still holding on.
Please note that any donations that exceed the request will be used to fund other critical need emergencies that may arise.