1 year after: LUTH first kidney transplant patient celebrates

THE beneficiary of the first kidney transplant at the
Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Mrs
Funke Oladeji, on Sunday, organised a thanksgiving
service to mark the first anniversary of the feat.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the
surgery, which lasted for five hours, was done on July
26, 2011.
Thirty-nine-year-old Oladeji was diagnosed of kidney
failure in November 2009 and was on dialysis in the
hospital for almost two years before the transplant.
Funke and her husband, Wunmi, who donated the
kidney, were in good health.
Her family members, friends and relatives gathered
at the Evangel Faith International Mission, Ejigbo,
Lagos, for the thanksgiving.
Professor Gbenga Ogun-lewe, chairman of LUTH
Medical Advisory Committee; Mr Babajide Grillo,
Assistant Director of Administration, LUTH and Dr
Oluwatoyin Amira, a consultant nephrologist with the
hospital, were at the event.
Dr Adebowale Adewun-mi, also a consultant
nephrologist in LUTH, also attended the service.
In a sermon, Pastor Emmanuel Tunwase urged
couples to emulate the love and commitment of the
Oladejis.
He also urged Christians to believe in God's ability to
see them through challenges.
In an emotion-laden voice, Oladeji narrated how she
was the only survivor among patients on dialysis in
LUTH during the period.
Earlier, she had told NAN that the government
should assist patients with kidney problems
financially because of the high cost of treatment,
adding that even after a kidney transplant, such
patients still spent much money on drugs.