Lions Club Seeks Support for Five-Year-Old Girl Battling Eye Cancer

Members of the Lions Clubs International, under the Igbajo Achievers Lions Club, have appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to support the medical treatment of a five-year-old girl diagnosed with eye cancer.

The appeal was made during a humanitarian visit to the patient, Hephzibah Osioro, a native of Delta State, who is currently receiving treatment at the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital in Osogbo, Osun State.

Speaking during the visit, Oluomo Sunday Akere, First Vice-District Governor of District 404B2 and District Governor-Elect of District 404B6, Nigeria, said the visit formed part of the humanitarian activities of Lions Clubs International, which dedicates the month of February to pediatric cancer awareness and intervention.

Akere explained that Lions Clubs carry out various service projects throughout the year, with specific focus areas assigned to each month. He noted that the club visited the young patient to show support and assess how the organisation could assist the family in managing the cost of treatment.

According to him, medical doctors attending to the child informed the visiting team that she would require 10 rounds of chemotherapy, before surgery to remove the affected eye and four after the operation.

He said one round of chemotherapy had already been completed, leaving five additional sessions before surgery. Each chemotherapy session costs about ₦140,000, bringing the estimated cost of the chemotherapy to about ₦1.4 million, excluding surgery and other medical expenses.

Akere added that the chemotherapy treatments are conducted at intervals of about six weeks.

He therefore appealed to individuals and organisations across Nigeria to support the child’s treatment, noting that additional financial assistance would help prevent the condition from worsening and improve her chances of recovery.

“The club has presented a token of support and love to the family and has promised to escalate the case to other Lions members and clubs in order to mobilise further assistance,” he said.

“The parents have done their best with the little resources they have to care for the child, but they still need support. We are appealing to men, women, young and old to come to the aid of this five-year-old girl,” Akere added.

Also speaking during the visit, Yinka Diamond Ishola, Charter President of the Igbajo Achievers Lions Club, emphasised the humanitarian mission of Lions Clubs International.

He said the organisation remains committed to supporting vulnerable members of society and ensuring that indigent individuals receive assistance when they face serious challenges.

“We are here particularly for a young girl, Hephzibah Osioro, who has eye cancer. One of the services we render as Lions is to ensure that those who are indigent have a sense of belonging,” he said.

Ishola explained that Lions members are guided by the principle of giving their time, talent and resources to support people in need.

“We live for others in Lions because we believe in using our time, our talent and our resources to assist those who are less privileged,” he added.

In his remarks, O.K. Faniran, Service Chairperson of the Igbajo Achievers Lions Club, said the visit was aimed at creating awareness and mobilising support for the child’s treatment.

Faniran disclosed that the club made a token donation to the family during the visit and pledged to escalate the case to other Lions clubs and members of the public.

“We are here today to show compassion and encouragement to the family and to assess how Lions can come to the aid of the child. We have made a donation and we will also escalate the situation to other Lions clubs,” he said.

He added that creating awareness about the child’s medical condition is essential to attracting support from compassionate individuals and organisations.

“Our duty is to create awareness and provide the necessary information so that other Lions and well-meaning Nigerians can also assist. When people become aware of such situations, they usually respond positively,” Faniran said.