Help save Emelias Life!

Hi everyone, during our time in Ghana we met the most gorgeous 13 year old girl called Emelia.

We went to visit her in school one day as teachers had reported that she has had a sore leg for the last few years, they explained it gets so bad and smelly that they have had to warn children in the class not to comment on it as she had been getting bullied quite badly for years over her leg.

To say what we saw she had been living with for years left us speechless for a couple of minutes. Her leg was so badly infected and scarred we honestly couldn't understand how she had been going on with life like this for the last few years.

Emelia is like any other child in Kokribite, kind, caring playful and loves her family very much. She has missed a lot of school due to the pain shes had in her leg , and how uncomfortable it is to sit on a hard chair. Despite this Emelia has worked really hard in school and done so well in her end of year exams she has been moved up 3 classes.

It started as a child and Emelia's mother took her to various hospitals to have operations and medication, however when Emelia was 9 years old medical staff said there was nothing more they could do for her as her mother had run out of money to pay for treatments, they then turned to alternative remedies which have made no difference.

As nurses, this broke our hearts to see. We spoke with Emelias mother in length and seeing her break down in tears really upset us. During my time in Ghana, I met with all of Emelia's family, including her older brother and cousins who are so protective of her and really want her to get better. I spent time in the hospital with Emelia one day we sat on hard chairs for almost 9 hours waiting to see a consultant (ghana medical system is very slow) and there was not one moan from her, she honestly is such a special girl, and deserves this medical treatment so much.

We have tried to cover costs for initial treatments which has been quite expensive. We have got a biopsy done and it has confirmed that Emelia has Lymphangioma circumscriptum, she has one of the most severe cases seen in Ghana to date.

We have managed to get her referred to the top plastic surgeons in Ghana, and with the help of everyone we should be able to fund the operation needed and the post op treatment she will need to make a full recovery and start to live the normal teenage life she deserves.

To help encourage people to donate myself, Siobhan and a number of volunteers will be undertaking different challenges. Once details are finalised we will update the page. If anyone would like to get involved in any of the challenges please contact any of us directly we need all the help we can get!

All funds raised will go DIRECTLY towards Emelia's treatment, I remain in contact with everyone in Ghana and Clodagh will be returning to Ghana at the end of January and will be assisting with taking care of Emelia.

Thank you all in advance, I know times are extremely difficult at the moment but even a donation of the price of a coffee could get us to our target. It is soo appreciated and thank you all!

Roisin, Siobhan and Clodagh.

xoxo