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Kehinde Oluwafemi
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One year old Kehinde Oluwafemi lives with his family on the outskirts of Ilorin, Nigeria. Before looking at him any Nigerian could tell that he is a second born twin and that his brother's name is Taiye as he is named in accordance to Yoruba tribal custom. But it would require a trained eye to see that Kehinde is almost completely blind and unlike his twin had bilateral cataract, before he met the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital team during the programme in Ilorin, Nigeria. |
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Kehinde heralds from a poor family who uphold traditional values and cultural practices. His young mother, Shola, still bears the marks on her face from her childhood initiation. She has a shyness that belies her inner strength and determinations to care for her small son.
Shola explains that he is a happy little boy and plays all day with his twin brother. But she can see that Taiye runs around freely while Kehinde is more cautious as he cannot see clearly. She worries about him and wants Kehinde to have the same opportunities as his brother so they can see and learn and play together. She smiled sweetly and said; ‘I dream for him to have clear eyes and a future'. |
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When Kehinde was just 3 months old Shola noticed that something was very wrong with his eyes. They appeared bloodshot and she noticed what she described as a cloud growing over his eyes. Her older sister works as a cleaner at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) and arranged for Shola and Kehinde to see a doctor in the ophthalmology department. As luck would have it the doctor she was scheduled to see was Dr. Dupe – head of ophthalmology at UITH. |
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Dr. Dupe was trained and mentored by ORBIS over the six years ORBIS has been working in the country and she was instrumental in getting the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital to Ilorin, Nigeria. Dr. Dupe told Shola all about ORBIS and invited her to bring Kehinde back to the hospital in a few weeks time to meet the Flying Eye Hospital team of expert volunteer doctors. |
.jpg "Kehinde and Shola") |
They dutifully returned on the appointed date a few weeks later. Shola found the medical experience quiet daunting and unfamiliar so she held tight to her son and gently soothed his tears as he was examined.
The operation was performed by Dr. Itay Ben-Zion – ORBIS volunteer paediatric ophthalmologist – and it went off without complications. The following day Dr. Ben-Zion confirmed that the surgery was a success and highlighted that, ‘now that we have done a good surgery, it is up to the mother to fight for her child. He will need follow up for life as amblyopia is now the real challenge and his vision must be managed constantly to make sure this is a long term success story.' |
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Little Kehinde seemed like a totally new child in the days that followed his surgery. He danced and waddled around the ward seeking hugs from any obliging arms. ‘Thank you so much' is all Shola could manage to say in English to express her huge gratitude to ORBIS, Dr. Dupe and Dr. Ben-Zion. |
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