When you talk to her on the telephone, her sweet voice may not give an indication of what she is going through. If you walked into the library of the Simeon Adebo Staff Development Centre inside the Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, where she is currently working and you meet her sitting down, you may also not know that she cannot walk well.
But behind the pretty face of 46-year-old Mrs. Mopelola Laniran is a world of pains and anguish. The only thing keeping the Ibadan-born single mother going is the hope that one day, luck will smile on her and her health challenge would be surmounted.
Her travail into the world of pains and aches started when she had malaria when she was 18-year-old. Initially, she did not see any big deal in the illness. Her thinking was that with the use of anti-malaria drugs, she would be back on her feet after a few hours. But as time went on, she was developing swollen fingers. By the time the malaria was treated, the sores did not heal.
After undergoing several treatments, she was later diagnosed of what medical experts called juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in 1983. The free online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia, defines rheumatoid arthritis as a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The name is said to be based on the term “rheumatic fever,” an illness, which includes joint pain. About one per cent of the world’s population is said to be afflicted by rheumatoid arthritis, women three times more often than men.
Laniran was advised to live a healthy life and take her drugs religiously. She adhered strictly to the medical advice. Although the pain associated with the disease did not leave her, she remained resolute in ensuring that her health issue did not become a stumbling block in her quest to acquire university education. She said she did not want to be a burden on other people.
With this resolution, she weathered the storm and bagged her first degree, Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics at the University of Ibadan at the age of 23. She also bagged the university’s Masters of Social Work in Social Welfare.
Her health case was compounded in 1994 when she was involved in an auto crash in which her right leg was broken. Within a year, she had three surgeries; two on her right leg and one on the left leg.
“It is always painful. I live on drugs. The bones keep degenerating. My hip bones are very painful. I was bedridden for about two years, going in and out of hospital. In order not to continue to be a liability to friends and siblings, I got this job in 2009 and it has not been easy. I sold the only car available when the situation became tough. I live in Oluyoro and I spend about N700 daily on transportation because I have to engage somebody that will drop me at my doorstep daily,” she told our correspondent.
For life to become meaningful to Laniran again, she needs N4.5m for what experts call bilateral total hip replacement. Her doctor, Prof. Temitope Alonge, confirmed this. Alonge, a professor of orthopaedic surgeon, is currently the Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
He confirmed that Laniran had had left wrist arthrodesis on account of destroyed and dislocated left wrist from severe erosive lesion. She was also said to have had bilateral total knee replacement surgeries (PFC Zigma type) and awaiting bilateral total hip replacement on account of severe bilateral secondary hip osteoarthritis.
“The cost of bilateral total hip replacement surgeries is £40,000 (N9.7m) and this is exclusive of accommodation and air fare. If the operation is carried out locally, it will cost N4.5m including after-care service,” he added.
As at press time, Laniran said that although she had written to well-meaning individuals and organisations as well as the Oyo State government, she had not realised a kobo towards the surgery. She is therefore appealing to philanthropists to come to her aid.
She has a current account domiciled in Wema Bank Plc, Agodi, Ibadan branch in which donations towards the surgery could be paid. The account number is 1351126320718 with Mopelola O. Laniran as the account name.
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