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Melissa Chekwa
“I was in-denial. I couldn’t believe I was going through it.
It was until I got well that I questioned the origins of this illness and why I had to go through it.”
This was a remark by Dorothy Madamba (34), a member of the Reach A Young Soul (RAYS), a trust that embarks on philanthropic work to young children. She says she felt numb after she learnt that she had a Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) this year in March.
But it didn’t pull her down than she already was because she believed she would get through.
“I had hope that all would be well and I would get back to my normal life one day,” said Madamba.
CKD is a condition that damages kidneys and decreases their ability to perform their functions in maintaining a healthy body over time due to diabetes, high blood pressure and other factors that may point to family history. It causes complications like high blood pressure, anaemia (low blood count), weak bones, poor nutritional health and nerve damage. It also increases the risk of having heart and blood vessel disease.
National Kidney Foundation says some of the symptoms of CKD are feeling more tired and having less energy, trouble concentrating, poor appetite, trouble sleeping, muscle cramping at night, swollen feet and ankles, puffiness around eyes especially in the morning, dry itchy skin and a need to urinate more often, especially at night.
The treatment usually takes a toll on people living with the condition because it demands a lot of money for kidney transplants, recommended diets from the doctor and dialysis (the process of removing excess water, solutes, and toxins from the blood in people whose kidneys can no longer perform these functions naturally).
Madamba, who had two sessions of haemodialyis per week says footing the bill alone was hard because the costs were too much for one to handle.
“Major costs were for the procurement of the list of supplies for the sessions and the recommended diets. If it hadn’t been for family, friends, church folks and strangers who financially chipped in I don’t know if I was going to survive,” she said.
United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) operations director Richard Sithole said the costs of securing a full treatment were too high and most patients usually had a hard time securing the funds.
“That is why the Government is subsidising for CKD because the treatments are very costly,” he said.
The hospital doesn’t have dialysis machines at the moment but is looking to partnering private institutions that can offer their dialysis services to the hospital.
Nevertheless, Sithole urged people to go for regular check-ups and consult at their local hospitals.
However, feeling as if the system is unfair to a lot who are faced with the same fate of having to undergo treatment of other chronic diseases without enough funding, Madamba went a step further in comforting children whom she feels are the most vulnerable by reaching out to them and sourcing the donation of 50 blankets to the Eaton Ward at UBH.
Through the RAYS Trust, Madamba said they had already purchased 11 blankets and nine were in the custody of UBH.
“It’s been a difficult year and we haven’t been getting major sponsors. This is one of the first big donations we have had and we are grateful for that,” said Sithole.
Madamba, who is living a healthy life now, said there was always a need that has to be catered for and this idea came to her when she was still a patient at UBH. Grateful for her health, the survivor set to give back.
The fighter called on people to come and give a part of their love to the Eaton Ward children in a fun walk to be held by the RAYS Trust this Saturday from 7.30 am at the Natural History Museum car park. Participants will pay $10.
“Our biggest expectation is for people to come in their numbers and support the event so that we complete our goal of raising those blankets.
The event will have all forms of entertainment from music artistes including Madamba herself and public display stalls from prominent stakeholders like the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Michview and Chelsea Cakes, among others.
“We hope for a large number of runners and walkers to come through and support the event. It’s all in the spirit of thanksgiving,” said Madamba.
Online Reporter