Nzinga Makeda Jaramogi is suffering from bone cancer to her right leg and is in need of urgent surgery in Germany.
Now aged 21, Jaramogi was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at the age of 19. She is a graduate of Final Generation Academy, a private school in Belmont, and is now enrolled at Costaatt, majoring in Occupational Health & Safety.
Speaking a bit about her daughter, Akila Jaramogi said: "Nzinga was a little bush girl; going to the river, diving from rocks. She was something of tomboy growing up." Nzinga, who lives with her mother at Fondes Amanades, St Ann's, has two brothers and three sisters. Her mother is the head of the Fondes Amandes Community Re-forestation Project (FACRP).
Jaramogi's mother continued: "In 2012, Nzinga developed a swelling on her right leg. I took her to a private doctor and a whole of tests were. She was admitted to Port-of-Spain General Hospital to do a biopsy. Following that procedure the doctor diagnosed osteosarcoma and recommended immediate amputation. I preferred to wait on a second opinion so I went to Dr Toby and he, along with a team of oncologists from the US, looked at the case and they too said amputation was the best solution because surgery was too risky.
"We have been working for the past two years to have her surgery done in T&T based on feedback from the Ministry of Health and their advisor but there were setbacks due to the nature of the cancer.
"A friend of mine from Germany informed me that there was a clinic there, acclaimed as one of the best in the world, and they were the best in salvaging surgery. My friend contacted Professor Bruhn of the Diakonischen Clinic in Hamburg," she said.
"The clinic agreed to do the surgery. In Trinidad in the meanwhile Dr Lousaing assisted in getting all Nzinga's medical history and her private doctor, Dr Caroline Grant, collaborated with the clinic in Germany."
"We have been consulting with local doctors and a team of specialists from Germany to make Nzinga's limb salvage surgery possible. The doctors currently have all her medical records and are waiting to proceed with her operation at their facilities."
Jaramogi said that committes have been established in Trinidad and Hamburg as the basic clinic fees are 25,000 Euros (just over TT$200,000). Additional funds are also needed to cover extraneous expenses.
The first fund-raiser–Alive in Yellow–will be held on November 1, from 10 pm, at Club HI, Ariapita Avenue (opposite Synergy TV), Woodbrook. A second–Earth Call by the River–is planned for November 9, at 3 pm, at Fondes Amandes. Several popular artistes have been invited to perform.
It is hoped that Nzinga will leave for Germany in November.
�2 For more info about the fund-raisers and how to donate to Nzinga's cause visit the Facebook page: Alive in Yellow.
