Semiat, 5, who needed N10m for kidney transplant, is dead

Little Semiat EtoOluwa Amisu, the five-year-old girl who had a bilateral polycystic kidney disease (PKD) at the age of two and was recently in need of N10 million for an urgent overseas kidney transplant due to her progressively impaired renal failure (chronic kidney disease), is dead.

She died on January 29,  at the Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospitals  Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, Osun State where she had been on admission since January 1, 2013.
Semiat’s parents, Dr. Kehinde Amisu and Mrs. O. H. Amisu, said the little girl underwent a surgical treatment and a few rounds of dialysis before she died.
Semiat died suddenly even when the needed money for the kidney transplantation had been raised by the embattled parents and arrangements were upbeat for palliative treatment preparatory for a journey to India for the corrective surgery.
Dr. Amisu, a senior lecturer at the Lagos State University (LASU) and Mrs. Amisu, a staff of Isolo General Hospital, Lagos, had made frantic efforts towards giving their beloved daughter a lease of life. They noted that the little girl was in high spirit despite her precarious health condition.
The parents, who could not afford the amount of money required for the kidney transplant intended to be carried out abroad (India) solicited financial assistance from the Nigerian populace through two national newspapers (Weekend Champion of Saturday – Sunday, January 5-6, 2013 and The Nation of Tuesday, January 8, 2013).
They also approached their employers, some individuals, associations, organisations and the Lagos State Government while a saving account (No: 0228592473) was opened for her at the WEMA Bank, LASU branch, Ojo to facilitate the receipt of cash donations.
 However, little Semiat, first of three children (two other boys), died while the parents had raised the money required for the kidney transplantation.
The parents said Semiat’s bank account had been credited with N10, 180, 000 within the short period of solicitation for funds.
The parents expressed gratitude to everyone who assisted them in cash and kind in their determination to save the life of their beloved child.
 They expressed  gratitude to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), LASU branch) for donating a whopping N8 million.
Other donors include the Faculty of Science, LASU - N669,500, LASU Muslim Community - N100, 000), LASU MBA - N368, 500, Mrs. Atanda - N100, 000, Semiat Zakariah - N100, 000, Toyibat Mosque - N16, 000, and Account Staff, Isolo General Hospital - N100,000.
The parents also acknowledged donations from some close friends and relations, including Dr. (Mrs.) Debola Yusuff.
 The bereaved parents said they were particularly indebted to the innumerable people for their moral support  during the turbulent period, including Alhaji (Dr.) Lateef Jakande, former Governor, Lagos State) and his wife, the pupils, management and the Proprietress of Tusy Children’s School (Montessori) , Isheri-Idimu, present and past Microbiology students, LASU, the coordinator, lecturers and the Students of Kunle Binutu Associate Lecture Centre of Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Shomolu, Yaba, Lagos.
 It is reported that the sudden death of little Semiat did not only jolt the parents but baffled the medical practitioners handling her case as she was responding very well to dialysis and other palliative treatments for patients with a chronic kidney disease and in preparation for renal transplantation.
The parents, who were traumatized by the painful death of Semiat have taken solace in Almighty God (Allah) while Semiat EtoOluwa has been buried according to Islamic rites.
The Amisu family said the money received as donations in respect of Semiat had been refunded short of the N400, 000 withdrawn from the account to meet medical expenses before the child died.
Dr. Amisu said refunds totaling N9, 400, 000 had been made to ASUU-LASU and some others.
ChampionOnline