Family Seeks N5m to Save 4 years old Son

Four-year-old Nelson Emale urgently needs N5 million for surgery to address a congenital heart defect known as Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF).

Diagnosed as an infant at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Edo State, Nigeria, Emale’s condition was confirmed in a letter by Dr. Angela Odike, a Consultant Paediatrician and Paediatric Cardiologist at Samara Heart Foundation.

Tetralogy of Fallot is a complex heart defect involving four anatomical abnormalities: a ventricular septal defect, narrowing of the pulmonary outflow tract, an overriding aorta, and right ventricular hypertrophy.

The standard treatment is surgical correction, ideally performed during infancy, which involves procedures such as intracardiac repair and widening of the pulmonary valve.

Surgery is critical for improving his oxygen levels and overall health, as untreated TOF can lead to severe complications or even death by early adulthood. The survival rate after surgical correction is high, with most patients living active, healthy lives.

However, due to financial constraints, Emale’s parents have been unable to afford the necessary follow-up treatment.

According to Emale’s parents, he has been experiencing frequent episodes of excessive crying and breathlessness, known as “tet spells,” due to reduced blood flow to his lungs.

These episodes returned a month ago. Despite being taken to the hospital, Emale was discharged due to a lack of funds for his treatment.

Emale urgently requires surgery at a cardiac center in Nigeria to repair TOF) and improve blood supply to his lungs.

The estimated cost for the necessary investigations and surgery is N5m, a sum the family cannot afford. Consequently, the family is appealing to the public for assistance to save their son.