Emori Needs Surgical Assistance to Walk Again

Martins Ifijeh

While most Nigerian youths at 34 years are achieving their life’s dreams and already raising their own families, Daniel Emori, an indigene of Abi local government area of Cross River State has been bedridden for 13 years due to spinal cord injury.

Emori, who through a collision with an uncontrolled cow in 2003 in Onitsha was injured in his spine, is calling on kind hearted Nigerians, organisations and the government to assist him in standing on his feet again, as he believed he can still lead a normal life and achieve his dreams.

According to his medical information from Saket City Hospital, New Delhi, India, Emori, where he intends to go for a surgical operation, he will be needing an infection control treatment, skin grafting, debridement of wounds and an orthopaedic surgical intervention to correct the spinal cord and an extensive physiotherapy session, which they said would last for six months, all at a cost of USD 44,000.

Like a determined Nigerian, who believed if he meets his side of the commitment he could walk again, Emori, through the help of kind hearted Nigerians, has so far raised about N4,900,000 as against about N15,000,000 which he needs to be healthy.

Going down memory lane, he said on the 10th of October 2003, he had gone to one of his customer’s shop to deliver some products, when an uncontrolled cow knocked him down, but was rushed to the hospital immediately, only to be further referred to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, where the spinal cord injury was detected.

“Immediately, I was asked to pay the hospital emergency fee of N75,000 so that an operation can be done on me, but I was unable to pay, and that was how I was discharged and sent home.

“I then stayed home for 10 years without treatment since I was unable to make out money for the treatment. That is how one senior pastor of Life-Link World Outreach Church, Delta State, Rev. Charles Ashiedu, saw me on Facebook and located me to my village on January 28th, 2014, and by February 1st, he took me to Primus Hospital in Abuja where the spinal cord injury I sustained was operated upon on February 10th, 2014 at a cost of N1.6million, which the Reverend paid for,” he narrated.

He said he was then referred to a physiotherapy clinic where they told him he would have to go back and undergo another medical surgery for total kneel replacement, right hip, both ankles, among others, because his body was now stiff due to him maintaining a particular position for 10 years. “My helper, the Reverend then told me he had spent all he had for the surgery, thinking that would be all so that he can send me back to my village. Instead, with what was left with him, he rented a house for me in Abuja where I stay now. He also feeds me and then pay somebody who takes care of me,” he said.

He said earlier this year, he decided to make attempt at solving his 13 years long suffering by making several enquiries, including his contact with the Sakel City Hospital in India. “Upon readiness by the hospital to treat me and the financial implication, I then appeared in one of the programmes in AIT in April where I solicited for assistance. So presently, I have N4.9m, and the hospital willing to treat me said they need about N14m,” Emori said.

For information on how to assist him medically or financially, call 08098929156, 08086387108. Account details are: UBA, 2072008766 or Fidelity Bank, 6160829205. Account name is Daniel Emori.