admin
THE first round of a campaign to raise funds for Charles Mungoshi to get a brain operation has been successful and the iconic writer has his operation set to happen in the next few weeks.
Earlier on Wednesday, the writer underwent a number of tests in Harare ahead of the upcoming operation.
The campaign, with an initial target of US$9 000, raised $12 100 from various contributors, including a final lump sum surprise from a donor who asked to remain anonymous.
Scores of Zimbabweans came forward, making donations via EcoCash and then about 40 others donated via the GoFundMe campaign set up for the cause.
Even more shared the article and the donation details. The initial article, published on February 17, was shared over 800 times and this is important, because in the end someone saw that article and called Jesesi Mungoshi just over two weeks ago to tell her they would pay for the full operation and that they wanted to remain anonymous.
Then, recently, they deposited the full US$9 094.00 into the account of the surgery doing the operation.
The Mungoshi family and fund raising team said they were thrilled that they had overshot the target because there were other bills for tests that came up and they still seek to raise money to ensure that Mungoshi can get the all-important post-operative care; an additional US$5 000.
$1 900 of this is already in place from the current fund raising efforts.
a�?Last time he got operated on, we needed to send him for physiotherapy, but there was no money so this resulted in the ineffectiveness of his left hand,a�? explained his wife Jesesi Mungoshi.
After a stroke in 2010, Mungoshi developed a condition where cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was building up in his brain, causing it to compress against the skull and resulting in a number of neurological challenges for the writer. He lost a lot of his mobility, his speech became slurred and difficult and, could no longer read or write.
An operation was done last year to insert a shunt into his brain to drain the excess fluid, but the shunt is not serving its purpose. A private doctor advised that a a�?VP Shunt Replacementa�? operation would be needed, costing US$9 000 and this led to the fund raising campaign.
– Zimbojam
.
Online Reporter