People can now see my son, says mother of child born with lip cleft

Mrs Igboke Patience, a mother of two from Nsukka in Enugu state, has called on the world to come and see her son earlier born with lip cleft.

She made the call after the child successful under goes the lip cleft surgery at octopedic hospital Enugu with support from a non governmental organisation helping the poor ‘SmileTrain’.

Narrating her ordeal, Mrs igboke, said her pains started on 23 May 2022, the very day she gave birth to the child. She said instead of being happy she was mourning after seeing the face of the boy.

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

• 2023: INEC Disputes Claim On Additional Voters

• We Are Willing To Call Off Strike ― ASUU

• Indiscriminate Waste Dumping: LAWMA To Shut Down Ladipo, Oyingbo Markets

• EDITORIAL: The Jilted Murderer In Adamawa

• Motorists, Travellers Stranded As Ado-Ilawe-Ekiti Road Collapses

• FG Orders Buyers Of Seized Drug-Linked Properties To Pay N31m Extra
• People can now see my son, says mother of child born with lip cleft
• People can now see my son, says mother of child born with lip cleft

She said out of shame, only her immediate family were allowed to see the child since his birth until after the surgery was done and dried up her tears with agony.

She thanked the ‘SmileTrain’ for taking care of all the expenses and bill free of charge.

Her words ” This is my second child , when I conceived him, I never knew that I was pregnant till after two months before I went to the hospital then on the third month, I registered Ante-natal and I was taking all the drugs prescribed for me.

“On 23rd May 2022, I gave birth to this my boy but they hide the baby and never wanted me to see him until they believed that I have regained consciousness.

“So when I saw the baby lip, I was shocked, and traumatised. I cried and screened and was asking myself if it was a punishment of my sins or that of my husband’s sin, but I couldn’t figure out what could have been the cause.

“The next day a nurse took me to a female medical doctor who placed a call to another and from there, they directed us to Autopedic hospital.

When I came to Octopedic Hospital Enugu here, I was told that my baby is under weight and they gave us milk that will help my get up to 6kg so that he can undergo the surgery.

“When I asked how much it will cost us, Dr. Onah told me not to worry that ‘Smile Train’ will take care of all the expenses, I was so happy knowing the kind of situation we are in Nigeria.

“Dr. Ifenayichukwu Onah told me to be feeding him evey two hours.

“So I was still taking him for his immunisation until he gets to 6kg so I started coming to Autopedic hospital and the surgery was done on 17th July 2022.

Now the surgery have taken place free of charge with support from SMILETRAIN, I feel very happy. Infact, I will share my testimony in my area where I come from”.

SmileTrain with the slogan ‘changing the world one smile at a time” is the world largest cleft-focused organisation with a model of true sustainability-providing training, funding and resources to empower local medical professionals in over 70 countries to provide 100 per cent free cleft surgeries and other forms of essential cleft care in their own communities.