She has been battling with cancer for nine years during which she underwent four separate surgeries by local experts.
Her condition is, however, getting worse by the day, and now the family is racing against time to raise 17 thousand dollars or between 85,000 and 90,000 Ghana cedis for treatment abroad.
That is the plight of 31-year old Paulina Owusu, who has been bed-ridden since leaving school seven years ago.
Nana Asenso Mensah visited her at home at Kwadaso Agric in Kumasi from where he filed this report.
Since 2010, Paulina has been struggling for survival. Doctors say she is suffering from a cancer condition, known as dermatofibriosarcoma.
After several unsuccessful surgeries in Ghana, Paulina has now been referred to India for comprehensive surgery to remove the cancer from the back of her right shoulder.
According to doctors, Paulina’s cancerous growth must be removed before the end of next month April, or it will spread to other parts of her body.
The hope of the former student of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to overcome the cancer and pursue further education now hangs in the balance.
“This sickness started when I was in third year in Kwame Nkrumah University of science and technology. Before now, it was growing very fast so the doctors recommended that I undergo a surgery.”
Chronicling her plights further, Paulina said: a sample of her taken to the lab and was found to be cancerous.
Since graduation in 2012, Paulina has been indoors and bedridden. In her condition, she feels shy to meet her friends.
“I’ve had four surgeries but it is still growing back. I had my last surgery at the 37 Military Hospital and they referred me to Korle-Bu oncology department,” she mnarrated.
“I see a lot of my mates doing well in my field but I have been in the house for close to 7 years after graduation and that makes me sad,” she said.
Paulina has lost almost everything including hope. She is on 100mg tramadol capsules medication daily to manage the severe pain she suffers.
“I have never worked before, I don’t even go out. I feel shy when I go out because of my back. I can’t mingle with my friends and I am appealing to people to help me,” she pleaded.
“I feel a lot of pains and I have sleepless nights. Sometimes, I take tramadol to control the pains. It is extremely painful and I have lost a lot of weight. I can barely sit. When I sleep too, I just have to sleep on one side of my body,” she narrated further.
The cancer, according to Paulina, started in 2012.
Her mother, Christiana Amankwa said she has had to sell her properties, including a plot of land to pay for Paulina’s bills.
“I have sold my land to support her because of the high cost of treatment; I plead with benevolent individuals and institution to help. I am sick myself and unable to work,” she said.
“My daughter is suffering, I may lose her or she will perpetually be confined to the sick bed,” she added.
Christiana is, therefore appealing for public support to save the life of her last child from the vagaries of cancer.
Source: Adom
