A MOTHER of seven, already blind in the left eye, is pleading for help as she needs to raise $80,000 to pay for surgery to save her right eye where her vision is fading rapidly due to cataract.
“The doctors said that to do the surgery in the public health system would mean a wait of about two to three years since there are hundreds of patients on the waiting list. But my doctor said if I don’t get surgery within the next two months, I will lose vision in my right eye. And when that happens, I will never see any of my children again,” Marsha Joseph said as she fought back tears.
During an interview yesterday at the family’s humble, wooden house, Marsha’s son Christopher, who writes the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exam on Thursday, said his greatest wish is for his mother to read the results slip and see which secondary school he passed for. “I would love for my mammy to be able to see me in my new school uniform. But she needs help, she has to have surgery,” Christopher said.
The cost of the operation is $80,000 which the family simply cannot afford. Christopher, 12, a student of Brasso RC Primary School said he has been working hard to pass for his first choice, Tabaquite Secondary. “I want to make her proud. It would be nice for mammy to see my SEA results slip. I just want when results come out to give her my slip so she can see the school I pass for,” the youngster said.
At the age of one, Marsha lost vision in her left eye due to infant congenital cataract. Almost five years ago, she slowly began losing vision in her left eye. Joseph said she now has only five percent vision in her left eye. The cataract, she said is spreading rapidly. Marsha lives with her husband Devanand Mohammed, 40, and four of their children. Their other three children live elsewhere with relatives. With her house not even having electricity, life is extremely hard and making ends meet is a daily struggle. Now, Marsha has to raise $80,000 to have the cataract surgery done privately. She does not know how to begin to raise the money. “I didn’t ask to be in this situation. I don’t want people to think less of me as a mother. I love my children and even though I have been going blind, there is nothing I would not do for then” she said.
Joseph wakes up at 6 am to get her children ready for school. “Who will see about my children if I go completely blind. I don’t want to go blind, I need help,” she cried. Due to her disability, Joseph has been deemed unfit to work. Her husband who is a driver, has been unable to get employment and now sells bottles to feed his family.
“I am not a lazy person. I work every day. I go out looking for jobs. To date, I have not been able to find any work. I had to think about a way to make money to provide for my family, so I decided to collect bottles and sell them,” he said. As the house is not wired for electricity, the family must use candles at night. This means for Christopher, he has to complete his homework before sun sets and any revision after, must be done by moonlight or with candles. “I don’t just sit down and do nothing. I have been going throughout the country selling bottles to try to get money to help my family, but the money is not much,” the father said. Marsha has been to the Tabaquite Health Centre and was referred to the San Fernando General Hospital. “She told me there was almost 100 patients in front her and she would have to wait almost three years before they operate on her. By that time it will be too late,” he said.
Last month, Mohammed was able to save enough money to take his wife to a private doctor. “He assessed her and said if the cataract is not removed in the next three months, my wife would go completely blind,” Mohammed said. Putting all personal pride aside, the worried man cried: “Please, I am begging anyone out there, please help us. Don’t let my wife go blind, please.”
Medical Director of the San Fernando General Hospital Pravin Ramoutar yesterday said that officials of the customer relations section would assess Joseph’s file to clarify what type of surgery is needed. Once the information is reviewed, a decision would be made and if necessary an urgent date would be provided for an operation. But even this is no guarantee that she will have surgery within the next two months. Anyone wishing to assist Marsha can contact Newsday’s South Bureau 652-6533 or 652-8550.