A 28-year-old woman from Anambra, Ezechukwu Uchechukwu, is asking for help from Nigerians to restore her leg.
Uchechukwu, who graduated from Our Saviour Institute of Science, Agriculture and Technology Polytechnic, was in an accident around 10 years ago.
The accident damaged her left hip bone and caused intense pain and suffering for her.
The injury, initially thought to be minor, has since partially disabled one of her legs.
For over 10 years, she has been taking daily medication to aid her mobility. However, she said instead of relieving her pain, it has subjected her to emotional trauma as many of her schoolmates mocked her, saying, “she smells of drugs”.
She explained, “It started way back, after WAEC. Young scholars were celebrating victory.
“While we were celebrating, there was a government school that had a fight, so they ran into us, and they were being chased by the police. Everyone wanted to be safe, so we started running. I got pushed down on a slope while trying to stay safe so that I wouldn’t be caught by the police.
“I got pushed down twice, but I didn’t feel it because I just wanted to be okay and get home.
“When I got home, I had to massage, and I felt fine until my parents noticed that I was limping. They inquired, and I had to tell them what happened.
They gave me some pain relievers and took me to the hospital, but it didn't seem very serious until it became consistent and I was going for treatment like that on and off, so it was really not good at all.”
This caused her to isolate herself and lose her self-esteem.
Uchechukwu, who had aspirations of working in customer service, said her dream has been shattered as nobody was willing to hire a person with physical limitations for such roles.
She recounted that on numerous occasions, employers praised her qualifications and brilliance but rejected her due to her physical condition.
She added, “Since childhood, I've always wanted to work in customer service. I enjoy meeting people and assisting them with their needs.
“But all those dreams are gone now. Despite performing well in their interviews, I have been turned down by many employers solely because of my leg.
“They always tell me I couldn’t handle the job and advise me to pursue a role that doesn't require much movement.”
She has now turned to selling food items to support her family.
To regain her mobility, doctors have stated that Uchechukwu requires N5 million for surgery.
She is appealing to well-meaning Nigerians to raise the funds for her leg surgery.
“I am appealing to Nigerians to help me raise this amount. This is my only hope to walk again. Life has been tough since the accident 10 years ago. The doctors said I can regain my ability to walk if I have N5 million for surgery,” she pleaded.
Donations can be made to her account provided below:
Bank: Access Bank
Account Number: 0811754837
Account Name: Ezechukwu Onyinyechukwu Uchechukwu
She can also be contacted at 0810 780 6048
