Clinton Warde’s condition is deteriorating and the 12-year-old of Paradise, West Coast Berbice, who was diagnosed with brain tumour, is in urgent need of a surgery overseas.
His father, Clinton Warde Snr., told Stabroek News in a recent interview that one month after the diagnosis, a neurologist from Jamaica examined the child and confirmed that the surgery could not be done in Guyana. He added that after a relative in Canada alerted various hospitals about the boy’s conditions, the family received a favourable response from a Pittsburgh Hospital. However, the surgery is expensive and it would take the family a long time to raise the money.
A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which was done a few weeks after a CT scan, proved that the tumour has grown. The child is experiencing severe headaches and pain along his spine and at the back of his neck. Two weeks ago, he was still seeing well enough to read his books, although he had to force his eyes to remain open. He has since become blind in one eye while the vision is the other eye is blurred. He is no longer able to read.
Although Warde Snr is not sure exactly where the surgery would be done, he said the sooner is done the better. “We cannot sit and wait because his life is at stake; his condition is getting worse. I am pleading for assistance to make this surgery possible,” he said.
The Ministry of Health has promised to donate US$5,000 towards the surgery. The ministry has also gotten a response from a Trinidadian neurologist. Warde said too that, Suresh Sugrim of the New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir had also requested copies of his son’s medical report and is also trying his best to get Clinton accepted at the Sick Kids Hospital in Canada.
The child had started crying out for intense headaches before he wrote the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examination last year. He managed to earn a place at President’s College.
However, the headaches continued and during the second term the first form student collapsed. He was later hospitalised at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Subsequently, a CT scan done at the Woodlands Hospital revealed that “a mass is compressing the brain and the tumour is rising on the right ventricle.” The doctors explained that this can block the flow of blood to the head. He has not been able to attend school.
“He is a lively child but he would be withdrawn when he starts feeling the pain more. He is also having problems with his sinus and everything is having a funny smell,” Warde Snr. pointed out.
He issued an appeal to President Bharrat Jagdeo and the government to look into the matter, so Clinton could have a chance to survive like a normal child. According to him, “He is intelligent and no doubt his wishes to become a doctor can come through once he gets well and some day he would be able to serve his country.” The man also said: “Despite all that he is going through he still has a smile on his face and is still curious about what is going on with regards to him getting help.” “He keeps saying that he wants to go back to school and that ‘time like this I would have been in school.’ He is distressed that he is unable to go.”
Meanwhile, after the child’s plight was first published in this newspaper, Clinton said many persons contacted him and offered to help and he is very grateful to them. He said too, “I am thankful to all the persons who called and encouraged us and who offered prayers and kind words to build our faith and courage in this situation.”
Warde can be contacted on telephone numbers 232-3448 and 671-0547. Persons desirous of making contribution towards the child can do so at Republic Bank at a special account number: 731-3174.
