Before Matilda Carepath Health Foundation was established in the year 2014, she was already involved in rendering assistance in the areas of medical treatment to disadvantaged people through the support of some good spirited friends who have shared the same passion with one of her founders, Mrs. Adeola Ariemu.
In consonance with some well-meaning friends and persons, we have contributed our quota from our humble resources. For us, this vision provided us a true sense of being and understanding for our purpose in life, to serve. We believe that we are but instrument of the divine and final results are in God’s hands.
However, contrary to what many believe forms the reason/idea behind establishing a Foundation, I will like to express here, that there is every possibilities of genuineness at the center of many passionate Charities that is a driving force.
In our case, before our involvement in assisting distressed persons who called on our attention for help, there was a key incident/personal experience in the past that have drawn us closer to them.
According to my own experience, I was blessed with healthy children from the start and I expected and looked forward to giving birth again at the time. We were so relieved when the baby arrived even after a turbulence pregnancy coupled with a lot of fever and weaknesses.
Being unaware of any major health risk, we continued to care for him normally until we noticed when we held him, that he had a strong heart murmur that would require more examination. He was pale for the first two months. He was treated by couple of Pediatricians at different Hospitals for fever, motions and other symptoms that kept recurring because of that, he received extra handling and care. Until eventually he had brochure pneumonia that lasted for a few weeks and was admitted at the Hospital (Subol Hospital). On a day, during the ward round, one of the doctors Dr Olateru called the attention of the Hospital Director (Dr Bello) to review him closely because of a murmur he noticed in his chest from there we were directed to LUTH for an echo scan. The diagram was, Patient Ducts Arterious (PDA) a heart defect.
Unfortunately at that time the diagnosis and management were rare in Nigeria due to onset /emergence of Child Cardiology.
The period of management was a very challenging one as the only solution was surgery outside Nigeria, which was also very expensive then. We eventually traveled to India for the surgery that gave him a new lease of life.
I always thank God for the opportunity of saving him since his recovery.
However, it is so touching that after years of my child’s health breakthrough, I realized that many of those children and mothers we attended routine cardiac clinics together with in the past were still grappling with this problem. I felt moved by their fate and this is one of the reasons that informed the starting of this advocacy on their behalf.
As earlier mentioned, MCHF was established in 2014, with a broader aim of providing timely medical treatment to underprivileged children who are suffering from life-threatening diseases through her charity funds, with the support of our well-wishers. It is a non-profit organization.