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Herald Reporters
For Nathan Fungai Chirongani (32), problems started when he was a child and he got medical assistance once, courtesy of a well-wisher.
Now he sits at the corner of Simon Muzenda Street and Samora Machel Avenue in Harare every day where he begs for money from passers-by.
Chirongani has tumours all over his body which are a result of cancer.
“This condition started when I was still a child so I have lived like this for most of my life. At one time, a well-wisher sponsored an operation that I had to remove a growth that had developed on my back,” he said.
But his problems have persisted. Since he is unemployed, he cannot afford his own accommodation, food or even paying for his own health care.
“I am originally from Chipinge and I came here to seek assistance,” he said. “I am currently staying in Mbare where I sleep by the roadside or near the vendors for two weeks or more then go back to Chipinge for about a week.
“I cannot continue living this life and I am appealing to anyone who can assist me to get medical assistance. I would also be grateful if I got assistance with capital to start a small vending business. This will help me to not depend on handouts but to create a better life for myself.”
In another case, last year, six-year-old Fregstar Chikomo was diagnosed with cancer of the bone marrow after being in excruciating pain for more than four months, but now his parents need US$600 a month to buy the chemotherapy drugs he needs.
The diagnosis allowed him to start getting the proper treatment for his condition.
However, with only a few sessions into his treatment regime, his parents have fallen on hard times. They can no longer afford to continue paying for his chemotherapy.
“When my son started treatment, we were getting help from Kidzcan, but because they sometimes are overwhelmed, there may be shortages of drugs. This has been the case with my son. We have had to buy our own medications but because this is expensive, I am failing to keep up with his treatment programme,” said Mr Morelive Chikomo.
Fregstar needs to undergo three chemotherapy sessions every month and this means he needs three doses of the medicines needed for each session.
But each dose costs approximately US$200 and this has become too expensive for his parents, who have to watch helplessly as their son’s condition regresses.
“Sometimes I can afford to buy one dose for him but and then I fail to buy the next dose. This is really having an effect on him. At one point, he had reached what they call stage four of treatment but then I went for one and a half months without buying medication and he went back to stage two,” Mr Chikomo said.
λ Those who might want to help Chirongani can find him at the corner of Simon Muzenda Street and Samora Machel Avenue.
λ Those willing to assist Fregstar’s parents can contact Mr Chikomo on 0718 829 437.
Just skipping a chemotherapy session has an impact on the child’s health and this has been the case for Fregstar.
Bone marrow is a soft, spongy tissue that is in the centre of most bones and several types of cancers can develop there, including multiple myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma.
Leukemias are the most common childhood cancers and they account for about 28 percent of all cancers in children.
These can cause bone and joint pain, fatigue, weakness, pale skin, bleeding or bruising, fever, weight loss, and other symptoms. Acute leukemias can grow quickly, so they need to be treated (typically with chemotherapy) as soon as they are found.
According to the World Health Organisation, cancer is the leading cause of death for children and adolescents. Each year, an estimated 400 000 children and adolescents aged up to 19 develop cancer globally.
In Zimbabwe, a total of 293 childhood cancers in children aged up to 14 were registered in 2018 in the National Cancer Registry.
Experts say premature deaths from childhood cancers in most low-income and middle-income countries can be reduced by strengthening early and accurate diagnosis through strengthening the primary health care system.
However, for children like Fregstar who are already suffering, expensive treatment costs are really a cause for concern as many come from disadvantaged families that can rarely afford it.
Mr Chikomo’s fear now is that his son’s failure to complete chemotherapy sessions will soon cause more damage than the good treatment is supposed to do.
Already, Fregstar has lost his speech, a sad development which occurred soon after he started treatment.
“I am worried about my son. We are trying to raise the money but it has not been easy. My son has to undergo chemotherapy for three years and we are already struggling in the first year. We are appealing to anyone who is willing to assist us to raise the required money for my son to get treatment. It pains me to watch him lying there waiting for treatment but not being able to get it because I cannot afford it,” he said.
The Chikomos need to raise US$600 every month to ensure that Fregstar gets a full session of chemotherapy.
If he is to complete his treatment, the boy needs well-wishers who will be able to support his parents to raise part of that money.
That is the only way Fregstar will be able to return to full health and lead a normal life like other children of his age.
While cancer affects children, adults in Zimbabwe have not been spared.
This is mainly so because most patients present late with symptoms and many of those who are diagnosed can rarely afford treatment.
For those who might want to reach out to Chirongani can find him at the corner of Simon Muzenda Street and Samora Machel Avenue.
Those willing to assist Fregstar’s parents to raise funds for his chemotherapy can contact Mr Chikomo on 0718 829 437.
Online Reporter