The family of 22-year-old Diane Williams is appealing for financial assistance from the general public as the future of the Berbician woman, who is suffering from renal failure, hangs in the balance.
The young woman was diagnosed with a renal condition which developed into chronic renal failure (shrunken kidneys) in January of this year. Her elder sister Paula Williams has volunteered to donate one of her kidneys to her ailing sibling. However, a kidney transplant remains distant since the family has to raise some $3 million to offset medical costs for the operation.
The young Williams, who hails from Islington Village, East Bank Berbice, was first admitted into the New Amsterdam Hospital in January of this year with high blood pressure. In pain, sitting on a chair beside her bed at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) yesterday, Diane explained to Stabroek News that she was first diagnosed as having kidney stones by the doctors at the New Amsterdam Hospital. She was treated for the kidney stones but “nothing worked”, she said.
with her sister and donor Paula Williams on one of the former’s “strong days”. On certain days, the two explained, the 22-year-old is usually bed-ridden and suffering from chills and pain.”]
Diane said she was then taken to Balwant Singh Hospital in Georgetown, where they ran an ultrasound and found out that her kidneys were damaged; that they had shrunk.
After the diagnosis was made, and seeing how badly damaged her kidneys were, the doctor at Balwant Singh Hospital almost immediately commenced dialysis treatment, which she now undergoes on a weekly basis at a cost of $36,500 per session.
According to Paula, her sister’s condition was so bad at one point during the month of August that she was placed on life support for a while. After regaining some semblance of strength, she was discharged from the hospital, but was later admitted to the GPH in October, where she has been until now.
Among the symptoms Williams first experienced leading to her hospitalization at New Amsterdam were swelling of the eyes, severe headaches, swollen feet, back pains and severe belly pains. In order to have a peaceful and, as much as possible, restful night’s sleep, the hairdresser said she would sleep on either the hospital floor or seated in the chair by her bedside. Nothing is wrong with the bed, she said, but explained that it’s just not comfortable given her condition. Even sitting in the chair is sometimes a painful ordeal for her, as she cannot stay seated [or standing] for long periods.
Paula said the doctors at Balwant Singh explained that her little sister’s kidneys are now so small that they will be able to implant one of hers while Diane’s will be passed out in her urine.
The kidney transplant is scheduled for December 11 at the Balwant Singh Hospital. Should they be unable to garner enough funds for this operation, Diane will be forced to continue the sometimes weakening and expensive weekly dialysis in order to stay alive until it becomes possible for the transplant.
Williams and her family are seeking financial assistance from non-governmental organisations, public and private corporations and public-minded citizens to help offset the cost of this life saving operation.
In order to accommodate such generous contributions, an account has been opened at Republic Bank under the account number 7562952. Persons can also contact Paula on 682-9129.
