17-Year-Old Boy Seeks N2m for Leg Amputation, Artificial Limb to Walk Again
A 17-year-old boy, Daniel Akanni, is appealing to Nigerians and well-meaning individuals for N2 million to undergo an amputation of his left leg and be fitted with an artificial limb to enable him walk again.
Akanni was born with a deformity of the left leg and underwent corrective surgery at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, when he was about 18 months old. Although the procedure enabled him to walk, the affected leg remained shorter than the other, causing him to limp.
According to his mother, Oluwatoyin, the family later sought further medical treatment to correct his gait but could not afford the recommended second surgery. In 2020, they enrolled him in the Lagos State Government’s free “Hello Lagos” surgery programme for children with leg deformities, hoping it would provide a lasting solution.
However, she said the procedure worsened his condition, leaving the leg twisted and shorter. Efforts to correct the problem with plaster of Paris and further medical consultations were unsuccessful, while the family was reportedly informed that the required equipment to correct the deformity was unavailable.
The family subsequently returned to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, where doctors reportedly recommended amputation of the affected leg from the knee and the provision of an artificial limb.
Oluwatoyin said the family had exhausted its financial resources after years of seeking medical care for her son and could no longer afford the procedure.
“We are told to get N2m ready, but we can’t afford that. The surgery is N710,000, and with the artificial limb, we need N2m according to the doctors. We have nothing. We need help. We want Nigerians to help us so our son can walk again,” she appealed.
Daniel, who hopes to study Petroleum Engineering, also appealed for support, expressing optimism that the procedure would enable him to regain mobility.
“I am pleading with Nigerians to help me walk again. My parents have expended all they had. Please help me. I have faith that the surgery will be successful. All I need is your financial help,” he said.
Donations towards Daniel’s treatment can be made through FCMB, Account Number: 9378042011, Account Name: Toyin Felicia Adesoye.
Source: Punch