Online Reporter
Muchaneta Chimuka
THE 13-year-old schoolgirl, whose leg was amputated in South Africa in her brave battle against a rare bone cancer, has been discharged from hospital but her family still faces a R25 000 bill.
Shalom Onoja is a student at Nettleton Junior School in Harare.
He family raised half of the R50 000, which was needed for her to undergo surgery.
The family was assisted by good samaritans from around the world. Now, the family has to raise the outstanding R25 000. Her father, Joel Phiri, thanked Zimpapers for supporting her daughter’s cause in raising the funds by publishing her story, which caught the attention of many well-wishers.
“We are overwhelmed with the gratitude and your kindness, generosity as we navigated Shalom’s journey towards recovery. Those who donated in cash and kind may God bless you.
“We are yet to know when she is going to be back in Zimbabwe.
“We are still left with a balance of a R25 000 hospital bill which we are still sourcing but we currently are relieved that our daughter was successfully operated.”
He thanked Lu, a Chinese businessman who is also a Zimpapers client, for donating cash and the Zimpapers staff members who also donated money towards his daughter’s cause.
“Nettleton Junior School students and staff managed to raise US$117 while Network of Caring a charity arm of Network 21 and the Amway Business Supported donated a wheel chair.
“Ultimately, Shalom will need a prosthetic leg in the long run.”
Moreboys and Group, a South Africa-based Funeral Service Company, donated R5 500, an anonymous donor from the UK donated R5 000 while another anonymous donor from Australia chipped in with R10,000. Phiri said Shalom was diagnosed with bone cancer in August 2024 in South Africa and they initially opted for bone salvage surgery in India.
He said they mobilised US$6 500 from Nyaradzo Group, Pahushamwari Hwedu, Women in UK and the corporate world, but unfortunately, delays and additional medical expenses forced them to return to Zimbabwe. He said they ultimately had to consider amputation in South Africa to save her life as the tumour had grown too big and she was now bedridden.
“We took her to a hospital in India, where she was supposed to have a surgery, but the doctors there increased the amount of money required from US$6 500 to US$14 000,” he said
“They told us that she no longer requires bone salvage surgery but an implant because we had delayed in taking her to India and they had to redo the tests, which were once done in South Africa, hence most of the money we had was spent on tests and chemotherapy.”
He said when the doctors realised that they failed to raise the money, their daughter was discharged and they went back to the hospital in South Africa, where the doctors told them that the bone could not be saved and they had to amputate the leg.
“In South Africa, she was admitted to a smaller hospital and they were saying there were not enough beds at the Johannesburg Hospital,” he said.
“But I thank God my daughter was operated on and we hope for the better. We have other children in Zimbabwe who need to be taken care of, and it’s difficult.”
- Those who would like to help, feel free to contact her mother, Ndakadashe Nyaradzo Shumba, on her WhatsApp: +263783896440 or to call on: +27603044582 . The donations can be made via Ecocash, E– Wallet, Mukuru or World Remit platforms.
Mathew Masinge