Ndubuisi O. Agwu Appeal Fund(Nigerian with Acute Myeloid Lukaemia)

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Ndubisi Agwu is diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia
Ndubisi Agwu with wife & child

Ndubisi Agwu with wife & child

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Ndubuisi Agwu Appeal Fund: Chronicle of Events

COMMITTEE OF FRIENDS
of
NDUBUISI ONYEMUWA AGWU
92a Rye Lane London SE15 4RZ
email address: ndubuisiagwu@yahoo.co.uk

                                                                                                                       Date: 4 January 2002

Dear Friend
Re: NDUBUISI O AGWU - APPEAL FUND

We write to you on behalf of the above mentioned.

He is a Nigerian, 38 years old with a wife and child of 2 years. Until January 2001, Ndubuisi lived life like anyone else. Quite belatedly in his life, he contracted Chickenpox. The condition was properly diagnosed and treated. Although the treatment was effective for that condition, he began to experience physical discomfort in a way that he had not previously been exposed. He returned for regular tests and check-ups and was repeatedly told that he was anaemic and given treatment for anaemia to improve his condition. Further tests were conducted at the Niger Foundation Hospital in Enugu, in mid-2001. Early indication at this stage that the problem was more compounded began to emerge. The hospital then made a confirmed diagnosis of Leukaemia, but did not have the facilities to commence treatment. From then on, Ndubuisi's world has been turned upside down.

He made the decision to travel abroad in order to undergo treatment at Guy's Hospital, London, a leading provider of treatment in the area of Lukaemia. He was requested to make an interim payment in relation to his treatment in the sum of £10,000. From personal and other resources, he was able to do so.

He arrived in the United Kingdom on 28 August 2001. The diagnosis was confirmed as the condition of Acute Myeloid Lukaemia. The treatment commenced on 5 September 2001 by way of chemotherapy. It lasted 10 days. Before the hospital commenced this treatment, they requested a further deposit of £10,000. This was both unexpected and considerable. Again Ndubuisi, his family and friends came together and using the utmost of their resources, we were able to raise a further £10,000 to make the payment. As part of the care plan, a second course of treatment was to take place in early October 2001. The payments indicated were required because Ndubuisi is a non-UK resident and falls outside the National Health Service regulations. Once the first course of treatment had completed, the hospital indicated that the second course would not be embarked upon without further funds being available. They requested a further £10,000.

Clearly, given the difficulty experienced in raising the first, never mind the second tranche of payment, he was in no position to do so. The hospital declined further treatment. Ndubuisi, his family and friends embarked upon considerable negotiations with the hospital in order to procure a change of heart so that treatment could continue. In the interim time passed. The hospital maintained its position. It was not until contact was made with the hospital by a concerned journalist that the hospital agreed to continue the treatment.

At this stage, Ndubuisi had made a further payment of £2,000.00. The second stage of chemotherapy did not start until 12 December 2001, several weeks late. That second course of chemotherapy was completed, but unfortunately there is now evidence of resistance of his condition to that form of treatment. The regrettable consequence of this development is that he requires a bone marrow transplant which represents his best chance of being cured of this condition. The problem with this treatment now is that the cost for him to be treated is both prohibitive and unattainable. The cost has been estimated in the region of £40 - £50,000.00. The funds required have to be to be raised by the middle of January 2002, and the transplant would need to take place by February 2002 to maintain any chance of success. A matching donor has been found. All that remains outstanding is the funds in order to ensure that he has the transplant that he requires in order to maintain his prospects of curing the condition or surviving it. A letter from the hospital confirming this situation is attached.

There is no doubt that Ndubuisi does not have the funds to meet this request. He is unable to raise this money without external assistance. On his behalf it is crucial that we all contribute to this process, no matter how small. Ndubuisi has exhausted all his personal resources. His friends and family who have supported him have been stretched to their absolute limits. We ask you, on his behalf, to lend support to the fight that he has to put up. We are confident that this process would produce the desired funds in order to ensure that his transplant takes place.

Please make all cheques out in the name of Ndubuisi O Agwu. There is a specific solicitor's nominee or trust account with the Nationwide Building Society in the United Kingdom that has been set up for this purpose. Cheques can be sent to the above-mentioned address, or paid in directly into any branch of the Nationwide Building Society using the following details:

                        Name of account: Ndubuisi O Agwu

                        Address: Nationwide Building Society
                                       18 Rye Lane
                                       Peckham
                                       London SE15 5BU

                        Account No: 0263 -332 952 641

                        Sort Code: 07 - 01 - 16

On his behalf, we express our gratitude for any help and support you give him.

Compliments of the season.

Yours sincerely,

The Committee of Friends of Ndubuisi Agwu

Fight On Brothers & Sisters

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Ndubuisi Agwu Appeal Fund: A Child's Plea

COMMITTEE OF FRIENDS
of
NDUBUISI ONYEMUWA AGWU
92a Rye Lane London SE15 4RZ
email address: ndubuisiagwu@yahoo.co.uk

                                                                                                                       Date: 31 January 2002

Dear Friend
Re: NDUBUISI O AGWU - APPEAL FUND

We are writing on behalf of a two - year old Nigerian boy, Chidi to ask your help in saving his father’s life. Ndubuisi Agwu has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. His only chance for life is a bone marrow transplant. But he is desperately short of money.

38 year old Ndubuisi’s unfortunate situation came to our attention after his courageous wife, Ihuoma, wrote a heart-wrenching letter on behalf of her son to a London-based Nigerian journalist, appealing for help in raising some £50,000 (about $75,000) for a bone marrow transplant. Ndubuisi was flown from Nigeria to London in late August 2001 because Nigeria lacks the medical facilities to treat him. With an annual salary of less than £4000 ($6000) a year coupled with a high exchange rate and a wife and child to feed, Ndubuisi could not afford the trip abroad. It was through the contributions of friends, relatives, local churches and charities in Nigeria that they were able to raise £23,000 already spent on his travel to England and initial chemotherapy treatment at Guy’s Hospital here in London. Without the prodigious efforts of his unemployed wife, Ndubuisi would not have made it this far.

But plaudits are worth little, especially now that the money has been exhausted and Ndubuisi has been told chemotherapy is not working. To give Ndubuisi the best chance of being cured, he urgently needs a bone marrow transplant. Fortunately, one of his brothers has been identified as a suitable bone marrow donor.

The situation however remains dire. Even though a donor has been found, there is no money. Ndubuisi and his family are already heavily in debt. Ndubuisi cannot get British government help because he is not a resident. The hospital has declined further treatment. But if he does not have the transplant he will die. And two - year old Chidi loses the chance to grow up with a father.

We had hoped not to write to you appealing for funds. Ndubuisi’s family had hoped the money they brought with them would have been sufficient. But chemotherapy has failed and Ndubuisi’s only chance for life now is a bone marrow transplant. He does not have the choice to wait. To save Ndubuisi’s life it is now clear that he will require the help of people like you. We are writing to ask you to give generously and to approach your friends to ask them to give too.

As a group of concerned people and in association with the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust and the Leukaemia Society, we have been thinking up ways to draw attention to Ndubuisi’s plight and to raise the money for his treatment. At present, we are hoping to implement 2 fund raising initiatives. The first, a sponsored walk will take place on Saturday 23rd Febuary 2002. For further details contact FOSTER METU (Phone: 07747005591, E-mail: fmetu@aol.com). The second is a concert featuring artistes from various backgrounds including, the famous Afro-Rock group Osibisa. This event will take place in early March 2002. In addition African food and dances will be available. For further details, please contact ANDREW ONYEARU (Office phone number: 02076357777. E-mail: Andrews.solicitors@virgine.net)

We hope you will be there for these exciting events in support of a good cause. Your attendance is essential to their success. Without your help, we might not reach our goal of building a future for little Chidi by offering his father a chance to live. With your help, we can save a life to change a life.

Whatever you can afford -- no matter how small -- is welcome. Please make all cheques payable to Ndubuisi Agwu. Cheques can be sent to the above address or paid directly into any branch of the Nationwide Building Society using the following details:

                        Name of account: Ndubuisi O Agwu

                        Address: Nationwide Building Society
                                       18 Rye Lane
                                       Peckham
                                       London SE15 5BU

                        Account No: 0263 -332 952 641

                        Sort Code: 07 - 01 - 16

Thank you for your support.

Onyekwere Ojukwu
Office:02077906324,07956359627, E-mail: onyeojukwu@aol.com
(On behalf of The Committee of Friends of Ndubuisi Agwu)
Fight On Brothers & Sisters

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Ndubuisi Agwu Appeal Fund: Feb. 2002 Update

COMMITTEE OF FRIENDS
of
NDUBUISI ONYEMUWA AGWU
92a Rye Lane London SE15 4RZ
email address: ndubuisiagwu@yahoo.co.uk

                                                                                                                       Date: 25 February 2002

Dear Friend
Re: NDUBUISI O AGWU - APPEAL FUND

We are writing on behalf of a two-year old Nigerian boy, Chidi Agwu to ask your help in saving his father's life. Ndubuisi Agwu has been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. His only chance of survival is a Bone Marrow Transplant but he is desperately short of money that will enable him to get the treatment.

Two year old Chidi's unemployed mother, Ihuoma, wrote a heart-wrenching letter on behalf of her son to a London-based Nigerian journalist, appealing for help in raising about £50,000 for a Bone Marrow Transplant for his father, Ndubuisi Agwu, who has been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. Information about Mr Agwu's plight was passed to Emenike Pio of the African Times (see issue 20 of African Times published on Friday, 25th January, 2002) and to the ACLT, a Croydon-based charity that supports and assists African and Caribbean suffering from Leukaemia, which decided to back an appeal on the family's behalf.

Without the prodigious efforts of his unemployed wife, Ndubuisi would not have made it this far. But plaudits are worth little, especially now that the money has been exhausted and he has been told chemotherapy is not working. To give Ndubuisi the best chance of being cured, he urgently needs a Bone Marrow Transplant. Fortunately, one of his brothers has been identified as a suitable Bone Marrow Donor. The situation however remains dire. Even though a donor has been found, there is no money to carry on with the treatment.

Ndubuisi and his family are already heavily in debt and he cannot get British government help because he is not a resident. The hospital has declined further treatment but if he does not have the transplant or the treatment, he will die and two - year old Chidi will lose the chance to grow up with a father. Ndubuisi's family had hoped the money they brought with them would have been sufficient but the chemotherapy failed and Ndubuisi's only chance for life now is a bone marrow transplant. To save Ndubuisi's life, it is now clear that he will require the help of people like you. We are writing to ask you to give generously and also to approach your friends to ask them to give too. Please bear in mind that time is of the essence and he does not have the choice to wait. Committee of Friends are a group of concerned people and in association with the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT), The Leukaemia Society UK (LSUK) and the Igbo Cultural & Support Network (ICSN), have been thinking up ways to draw attention to Ndubuisi's plight and to raise the money for his treatment. The main event will be a concert featuring artistes from various backgrounds including, the famous Afro-Rock group Osibisa. This is due to take place on April 20th and will be co-ordinated by an organising committee. More details to follow. Some fund raising initiatives have already been implemented, including a Karaoke Fun Night in late February and a sponsored walk in Finsbury Park on March 2nd. We hope you will be there for the concert and other exciting events in support of a good cause. Your attendance is essential to their success. Without your help, we might not reach our goal of building a future for little Chidi by offering his father a chance to live. With your help, we can save a life to change a life. For further details regarding these events, please contact Onye Ojukwu (Office No: 02077906324, Mobile No: 07956359627, E-mail: onyeojukwu@aol.com and ANDREW ONYEARU (Office phone number: 02076357777; E-mail: andrews.solicitors@virgin.net). Whatever you can afford -- no matter how small -- is welcome.
Please make all cheques payable to Ndubuisi Agwu. Cheques can be sent to the above address or paid directly into any branch of the Nationwide Building Society using the following details:

                        Name of account: Ndubuisi O Agwu

                        Address: Nationwide Building Society
                                       18 Rye Lane
                                       Peckham
                                       London SE15 5BU

                        Ref No: 0263 -332 952 641

                        Sort Code: 07 - 01 - 16

                        Bank account No: 33 33 33 34

Thank you for your support.

Onyekwere Ojukwu
(On behalf of The Committee of Friends of Ndubuisi Agwu)

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Links
Drugs in Development
Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT)
Acute Myeloid Lukaemia - BMT
Letter From Hospital Treating Ndubisi Agwu
Chlid's Battle to Save Dad Gets a Boost

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