The family of six-year-old Aahil Ali of Essequibo Coast is seeking the public’s assistance to have his brain tumor removed overseas.
The boys’ father Whamlonlous Ali, who is a salesman spoke with members of the media Thursday at the office of the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) on Woolford Avenue.
It all started when little Aahil woke up one morning in August last year and started to vomit. He was in and out of consciousness and was taken to the Charity Hospital, Essequibo Coast.
Three days later, he was transferred to Georgetown Public Hospital where he spent six weeks in the Intensive Care Unit, after his first surgery for hydrocephalus.
“Before time he never [was] sick or nothing,” Mr Ali told reporters.
An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) later showed a growing mass in Aahil’s brain and he was officially diagnosed with a brain tumor, however, the type of tumor is still undetermined.
Neurosurgeons Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi of Guyana and Professor Ivor Crandon from Jamaica said the little boy is neurologically stable at this time.
Mr said the doctors did not give a timeline but, “the Professor from Jamaica told us that we should see how quick we can achieve this money fuh get the surgery done before it grow more and it guh be more complications.”
The surgery for the little boy can be done at a hospital in Colombia; the estimated cost is US$39,501.
The Ministry of Public Health is expected to help the family with some money.
Aahil cannot walk or stand on his own; he is now blind in his left eye and also developed problems breathing.
He attended the Young Scholars Academy in Charity Essequibo before his diagnosis.
“I am appealing to the public if they could assist us to do my son’s surgery in Colombia…any assistance available,” the father pleaded.
Anyone willing to assist can contact the family on 592-648-4828 or 592-657 8971; the Account Number at Republic Bank is 599 57 25.
