STORY ABOUT STEPHEN OPAYOOYE
Stephen a young boy born eldest in a family of 4 children. Stephen is very active and studious boy; he was much appreciated in the school for his studies and other academic activities. His dream is to become a cardiologist and serve more people in an affordable cost. His life was so easy and happy until his mother fall sick. His mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when he was 11 years old (2014), it rolled down the whole family, slowly his mother’s condition worsens, and she rested in peace after a year (2015) taking away the family happiness. His father has spent all his earnings to his mother’s treatment, and he was struggling to support the children for their education as he quitted his job to take care his wife and children.
Another misfortune hit the family after a year in 2016 while Stephen vision was diminishing, and he was not able to see the board as clear as earlier due to developmental cataract which was unnoticed earlier. He had great support from teachers in studies and they immediately called for his father and Stephen got a spectacle for his eyes. But this only gave him partial relief. He still wasn’t very comfortable with his sight but he didn’t want to trouble his father, as the family of 4 still had difficulty in meeting ends meet , but he reached to a stage where he couldn’t see anything due to cataract in both eyes and his eye sight will not improve with the help of glasses and now surgery is the only option. Stephen’s father took him to a national eye hospital, where they diagnosed with Cataract in both eyes and need to be operated immediately. Stephen’s father was really staggered by the surgery cost. Stephen father thought he is an influential person but not in his work currently but even though he thought he can influence people to source out the money for operation. He wrote to many politicians, philanthropists and to potential sponsors. He was just waiting to hear the good news, but nothing worked out and the family was in deep pain.
One day they heard about the free camp organised by the TCF Eye Hospital in their village and went and checked the ophthalmologists. The appointment for the surgery is been fixed and TCF took Stephen to Eye Hospital at Abuja operated him for both eyes and now Stephen would able to see as a normal kid as before. The family was very happy and thankful.
Stephen now with his aspirations and dream to become as a cardiologist walks out of the TCF Eye Hospital with great confidence and pride.
STORY ABOUT OLAMIDE KASHIM
Olamide born with a cataract which was unnoticed. Life went on for the Olamide family, as her sister and brother came along. Resources were scarce for the family growing up as her father is an evangelist and his earning couldn’t support the family and he shifted to Lagos and her mother with Olamide’s brother and sister shifted to Abuja for better living.
Life was not easy as they expected and her mother started her own business with her mother’s support by making donuts, fresh pie’s, chips etc. As Olamide neared the age of 8 by which her eyesight was completely diminished, and she couldn’t do her routine activities. One day they heard about an eye camp which was set up in her village. All were very excited to get her eyes tested. As Olamide’s turn came, the doctor saw that something wasn’t right. He immediately called for her mother and advised for surgery. The family was in a state of shock and despair as they grappled with the fact that their girl had to be operated upon. They couldn’t figure out how to finance the surgery as they were told that it would cost around 350,000-400,000 Naira. They were distraught. Olamide had lost all her confidence and used to wonder why she had this misfortune.
When they got to know about TCF Eye Hospital, it was like a miracle. One of the hospital’s counsellors had seen their daughter and ensured that they would be fine. He helped the family understand the requirements and to go through all the pre- surgery requisites. After a successful surgery, she still comes for her regular follow ups and follows all her doctor’s recommendations.
Olamide now wants to become an Ophthalmologist when she grows up and wants to serve more poor people to regain their vision. Now she is ready to face the world with a new dream and many aspirations for the future and she also have a pair of healthy eyes to fulfil them.