Yesterday, I left the hospital to pick up a parcel at Ministry of Finance in Abakaliki. As soon as pulled up in a parking space, he came slowly close, looking gangly and forlorn. He said 'Brother, please, help me. I'm very sick and can't buy the medicine I drink.'

I looked at his body habitus and spotted five obvious health issues: swollen legs, protruding abdomen, a hand sore, pale palms and fluffy hair. 'What illness do you have?' I asked. He said, 'I have diabetes'.

To be certain about his claim, I wanted to know the drug he wanted to buy and how he used it. The boy said 'I use insulin mixtard 70/30 and I inject it under the skin.'

He said he is 20 years old but the illness started when he was much younger and used to have severe abdominal pain on daily basis. His father is late, his mom is a poor farmer. His name is Monday Onwe, and he's from Mgbo in Ebonyi State.

Dear friends, right inside my car, I began to cry. I sobbed loudly and almost couldn't continue the conversation, why?

I had been there before; I saw it all. The history of his illness was classical. He reminded me of my immediate younger brother, Ifeanyi.

Ifeanyi had unabating, severe abdominal pain throughout the first decade of his life. Between 11 and 12, he was free and the family sighed in relief. Before 13, diabetes set in. He lived on insulin for the next 17 years. In 2016, Ifeanyi left us. I still can't tell the story, I've not been able. I was broken in spirit, and I still cry whenever I remember all that we went through - the emotional investment, the financial cost especially when he came down with kidney failure and was on dialysis... I can't go on...

Here is Monday Onwe, a poor orphan with a costly illness. Diabetes is a cursed illness especially the type 1, the children's type.

Monday is already having complications from the illness. The swollen legs and abdomen means his kidneys are failing. He is probably hypertensive but doesn't know it. His bowel habit must have been altered. He doesn't have enough blood because his kidneys can no longer perform their role in blood production. Monday is suffering. Monday needs help.

Sometimes it's mind-boggling how there is so much money for the treatment of HIV/AIDS whereas diabetic children and cancer patients can't get help. These people are suffering for deadly illnesses that are no fault of theirs.

Dear friends, I've not slept well since after seeing this helpless boy. I see myself in him and I shed tears as I write this. Please, help Monday. Do it for me, please. It doesn't matter how little -N1000, N2000, etc. Spare it.

If we can help Monday to get expert medical attention at Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, we can get his blood sugar under good control and the complications can be slowed, and he'll live longer.

Please, send your token to his account.

Monday Onwe. First Bank. 3113534886

Kindly notify me via inbox if you're able to do anything at all.

May I remind you that by doing this, you're giving directly to God and you can never regret it. If you're a Christian, remember what the Bible says in Matthew 25: 31 - 40. At verse 36 it says God shall say to the righteous, 'I was sick and you visited me'. Verse 39: and the righteous shall ask 'Lord, when did we see you sick and visit you?' Verse 40 summarizes it all:

'And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.'

Have a good night rest!
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10215800828807967&id=1661884787

Please mod move this to front page .This young boy need help urgently to prevent further complications that might lead to his early death

Thanks

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