diagnosed as ‘Congenital Cranial
Deficiency’. In other words, she was
delivered with at least 50% of her skull
unformed. For the Olawuyi’s, that day
marked the beginning of a 3year struggle
against stigmatization, discrimination &
near hopelessness.
After rejections from several hospitals
around the world, renowned neurosurgeon
at the Johns Hopkins Medical International
hospital, Baltimore, Maryland; Dr. Ben
Carson agreed to lead a team of surgeons
in performing a skull reconstruction surgery
on 3 year old Okiki. After a review of her
case history, the tentative cost of Okiki’s
surgery was put at US$234,000 (Two
hundred and thirty four thousand United
States dollars). On receiving this estimate,
GIPLC reached out to her local network of
donors and phenomenally raised this sum
of money in approximately 72hours.
3 year old Okiki and her parents under
stewardship of Coordinator and Project
Director of GIPLC journeyed to the US on
May 4th 2013 to undergo her skull
reconstruction surgery which was
scheduled for the 22nd of May 2013 at the
Johns Hopkins Medical International.
However, complications have occurred
following her over 14 hour’s initial surgery,
as a result of inconsistencies in her medical
history, in addition to the fact that it was a
maiden attempt in paediatric
neurosurgery. This has led to a further
accumulation of medical bills totalling over
US$500,000 (Five hundred thousand
United States dollars), a figure that
increases with each passing day Okiki
spends at Johns Hopkins.
Prior to the complications which have
arisen, what made a determination of the
full cost of Okiki’s surgery difficult is that in
modern times, it is an extremely rare
(perhaps singular) medical condition with
no precedence to draw indicators from.
This latter fact also means that it is equally
difficult to tell what other medical
complications may arise; just like the fluids
that were retained in her cranial cavity has
posed an unforeseen challenge and may
have led to a fatal infection.
As Okiki may not be released from hospital
until all outstanding bills have been paid on
one hand, and as we and her parents are
desirous of her condition being fully
remedied before she does leave the
hospital on the other, we would like to
appeal to the global public to support our
cause in ensuring that Okiki gets a full
chance at life.
we pray that this little will leave to achieve
God's plan for her life.