6-month-old in need of liver transplant

Six-month-old Zendaya Kassim is currently at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) battling for her life as she is in urgent need of a liver transplant.

Kassim must undergo an emergency surgery overseas, which is the only alternative given to her parents by the Paediatric Surgery Ward at GPHC.

At birth, Kassim was diagnosed with jaundice. A couple of months after, the child eyes began to yellow and her tummy started to swell, as such, she was rushed back to the hospital where she was later diagnosed with hepatomegaly.

Hepatomegaly is the condition of having an enlarged liver. It is a non-specific medical sign having many causes, which can broadly be broken down into infection, hepatic tumours, or metabolic disorder.

The relatives, after Kassim’s diagnosis, were informed that after a CT scan on the child, she was in need of a liver transplant as it is the only option at this stage of her condition.

However, Kassim was discharged and sent home after her family was told that the services that she requires are not currently available in Guyana and this would have to be sought overseas.

The family was then advised to start exploring options overseas while a medical report will be prepared.

The grandmother of Kassim spoke with Guyana Times and explained that she, along with other relatives began searching online for a medical facility, which would be able to do the surgery.

The family came across the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in India headed by Dr Suresh Kumar Singhvi, who specialises in surgical gastroenterology and liver transplant.

After contact was made with the hospital, the family was told that 21 days in total would be spent at the hospital for the recipient and eight days for the donor which would include a five days stay in the Intensive Care Unit for the recipients and two days for the donor.

The father of the baby, Mohamed Sammer Kassim has agreed to donate to his daughter.

The overall expense for the surgery amounted to US$60,000, which is equivalent to GY$12,000,000.

Thus far the family members have only managed to acquire just over $1 million.

The Public Health Ministry has agreed to donate another million dollars to assist, but has not provided a date as to when the money would be donated. The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana will also be assisting the family. However, the family is pleading with the public to assist as soon as possible as the baby needs to have the surgery before her ninth month.

Donations can be sent to the Demerara Bank account number 1279280-00100, the Guyana Bank of Trade and Industry account number 0107273-83011, to the Kassim’s residence Block X Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara, or contact with the family can be made through cell phone numbers 216-1795, 602-6268, 661-6106 or 604-9388.

The Kassim family would be grateful for any help financially due to the urgency of the operation to save Zendaya’s life.