A Mother's Plea: Save Raheem's Eyesight

URGENT HELP NEEDED FOR 17-YEAR-OLD RAHEEM'S EYESIGHT!!

UPDATE....Raheem underwent a minor laser surgery on June 6th to stabilize his vision in the left eye , but the LIFE-CHANGING major surgery for the right eye is still pending due to funding.

Current Status:

Goal: $16,129 USD

Raised: $4,509 USD (28% of goal)

* Still Needed: $11,620 USD

Raheem's future depends on your generosity! His mother, Tamara, is overwhelmed with gratitude for your support so far.

Please consider donating and sharing this update with:

* Friends

* Family

* Social media networks

* Local community groups

Every dollar counts, and together we can save Raheem's eyesight! God Bless you all.

My name is Tamara Ferguson and I’m a single mom of two teenage boys. We reside in the parish of St. Thomas; I work as a security guard in Kingston. My first child, Raheem Dixon, is 17 years old and was born with Hemoglobin S-C disease (Sickle Cell Disease). He has been suffering from this illness since birth. Over the years, I have been back and forth with him from one hospital to another seeking the best medical treatment. I’m a hardworking mom who strives to give my sons nothing but the best; all aspects of their holistic health have always been my number one priority. Unfortunately, Raheem’s dad has neglected us since his diagnosis, and it has been just me all through these 17 years. It breaks my heart to watch my child in so much pain and agony, knowing that I cannot even hug him for comfort because his limbs are too fragile. As a result, he struggles mentally with the weight of the illness and has been having a hard time coming to terms with it. We live alone, and because I work far from home due to the lack of employment opportunities nearby, I have to ask my neighbors to watch and listen for his cry for help at any given time. It has been really hard; we do not have strong external family support.

Raheem is a member of the sickle cell unit at the University of West Indies Hospital, a member of the Eye Clinic, and the Fish Eye Clinic at the University of West Indies Hospital in Kingston. As a result of his sickness, he struggles with many different illnesses and was taken to the hospital on many different occasions for these issues.

In 2023, I noticed that his eyes are being affected due to his illness. A laser surgery was done on the right eye as it was the worse one. On May 19, 2025, he was diagnosed with full-blown Retinal Detachment, which prompted a laser surgery on the left eye as it was being affected as well. The doctor confirmed, however, that Raheem is 98% blind and he will need to do an emergency surgery to save what is left of the eye and see how best and to what extent they can correct the damage done. This surgery costs over JMD $2.5 million.

I am therefore seeking assistance in raising this money to save what is left of my son’s eyesight. I do not have anyone to call on, no parents, no siblings, and my paycheck only allows me to provide basic needs and pay rent due to the high cost of living.

Your donations, no matter how small, will be highly appreciated. I have now exceeded all my options and I'm now relying on the assistance from potential donors. Every donation will help to ease the strain of this large and unexpected amount of money.

Thanks for your support during this difficult time. Please keep us in your prayers. God bless you all.