Lookman, from Sierra Leone and caustic soda (2016 - 2017)
Lookman is a child from Sierra Leone and we met him when he was eight years old. He was born in a very poor village with houses made of mud or metal sheets, without cabinets and drawers, and for this reason a plastic bottle containing caustic soda (used in the third world countries to make soap), was left at his reach. The child ended up by thinking it was drinkable water, and drank from the bottle, which resulted in severe damages to his mouth and esophagus and finally caused him the total loss of the ability to talk and eat normally , in that he can no longer put anything into his mouth. The kid was rescued in a local hospital and from that day he has been living with a gastroctomy. When he arrived here in Italy (July 3, 2016) his mouth was completely locked , and a simple cold could have been fatal.
Caustic soda-related damages are a serious reality affecting many children in Sierra Leone, where no facilities and skills are available to deal with the surgical interventions needed to save their lives.
Happydu ETS support
The members of the association heard about Lookman’s story in 2016 and they decided to take care of him taking him to Italy. By benefiting from a Lombardia Region Law and thanks to the support of cooperators and doctors who had been looking after the child in Sierra Leone,
Happydu Onlus managed to deposit all the necessary documents at the proper institutions in order to take Lookman and his dad here to Italy with a specific permission for not deferable medical cares that were not available in their origin Country.
After a long period of stay in Italy (over 10 months), with numerous hospital admissions at the Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico and Ospedale San Paolo in Milan, and several surgical interventions, it was possible to open his mouth and replace completely the "peg tube" through which the baby will continue to feed himself. The esophageal reconstruction was not possible because caustic soda swallowed three years before caused irreparable damages to the tongue and above all to the throat, laryngeal and pharyngeal tissues, making esophageal surgery impossible.
Happydu ETS is grateful to the many volunteers who have spent time, attention and care for the little Lookman. We thank all the medical and paramedical staff for the great attention and professionalism shown. Thanks also to Casa Amica Onlus for the great Hospitality given to Lookman and to his Dad, Sulaiman, and ABN Onlus for contributing to a good part of their stay expenses.
We do also wish to thank Marco, an international cooperator, for introducing us Lookman and for giving us the opportunity to strive for his good.
Caustic soda-related damages are a serious reality affecting many children in Sierra Leone, where no facilities and skills are available to deal with the surgical interventions needed to save their lives.
Happydu ETS support
The members of the association heard about Lookman’s story in 2016 and they decided to take care of him taking him to Italy. By benefiting from a Lombardia Region Law and thanks to the support of cooperators and doctors who had been looking after the child in Sierra Leone,
Happydu Onlus managed to deposit all the necessary documents at the proper institutions in order to take Lookman and his dad here to Italy with a specific permission for not deferable medical cares that were not available in their origin Country.
After a long period of stay in Italy (over 10 months), with numerous hospital admissions at the Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico and Ospedale San Paolo in Milan, and several surgical interventions, it was possible to open his mouth and replace completely the "peg tube" through which the baby will continue to feed himself. The esophageal reconstruction was not possible because caustic soda swallowed three years before caused irreparable damages to the tongue and above all to the throat, laryngeal and pharyngeal tissues, making esophageal surgery impossible.
Happydu ETS is grateful to the many volunteers who have spent time, attention and care for the little Lookman. We thank all the medical and paramedical staff for the great attention and professionalism shown. Thanks also to Casa Amica Onlus for the great Hospitality given to Lookman and to his Dad, Sulaiman, and ABN Onlus for contributing to a good part of their stay expenses.
We do also wish to thank Marco, an international cooperator, for introducing us Lookman and for giving us the opportunity to strive for his good.