Helping Jemi

This is my daughter’s story: 

At birth, Jemi was diagnosed with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive and in 2011 at age 9, Jemi was diagnosed with chronic renal failure. In 2016, Jemi underwent a kidney transplant becoming the first successful kidney transplant in an HIV positive patient within South Africa.

However, days after the operation, it was discovered that the transplanted kidney contained a huge infectious kidney stone. Never seen before, Jemimah’s story became one of interest and was published in multiple medical studies. Jemi was then prescribed antibiotics but after 3 long years, the transplant was rejected and we were promised she’d be put back on the top of the transplant list. However to this day, Jemi has still not received a new kidney.

Jemi was then advised to continue with haemodialysis but has been significantly deteriorating, now suffering with hypertension, epilepsy, osteoporosis and arthritis. Jemi has fractured both her knees and hip and is now in need of a total hip reconstruction, leaving her wheelchair bound.  We have hospital visits every second day and Jemi requires continuous monitoring and nursing making it almost impossible for me to work as I need to care for Jemi and I have no other means of care for her. 

As before-mentioned, Jemimah has hospital visits every second day which comes at a great expense regarding transport to and from the hospital. We do receive a disability grant from the government however it is not nearly enough to cover all the costs that come with caring for a chronically ill individual. Over the past few months I have sold every valuable possession we own eg TV’s, washing machines, couches etc, all to try and make ends meet. 

Jemimah and I have no other family who could offer any sort of assistance( her father passed away 8 years ago) and as a result I have suffered 2 minor strokes both being stress induced.

Jemi and I live on the 3rd  floor of a block of flats and with Jemi being wheelchair bound it becomes very difficult for me to carry her up and down the stairs every second day for her hospital visits. With her being wheelchair bound it becomes very difficult for her to get around within the hospital as some of the stuff struggle to offer a helping hand with pushing Jemi. I am unable to accompany jemi to her hospital visits as that would incur an extra travel cost. 

Jemi is a such a zealous and tenacious young lady, determined to reach her goals of finishing her schooling and studying towards a degree in psychology. 

We are thus aiming to raise funds to 

• cover cost regarding Jemi’s treatment 
• get Jemi to finish her grade 12 
• acquire an electric wheelchair
• get a place more conducive for jemi’s condition or to fix up our current home
• fix up the car I have thus I would be able to transport Jemi to and from hospital visits 
• buy groceries that are specific to Jemi’s diet.   

I hope my appeal finds your favorable consideration to make any sort of donation and would be so appreciated by both me and Jemi.

Thank you all.