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Mother seeks public assistance for son’s kidney transplant
By Isanella Patoir
Life for 15-year-old Tomal Mingo of 40 Charles Street, Charlestown, drastically changed over the past months. He was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Failure in January of this year.
Mingo’s mother, Shaundell Fraser-Mingo, stated that at first she noticed that around her son’s eyes were swollen, back in January, but figured he had the common cold. However after a few days he complained that he couldn’t breathe and then completely blacked out.
He was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was revived and after the doctors ran some tests, he was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Failure, otherwise known as kidney failure.
Mingo has since been on dialysis at the Nephrology Department at GPHC, and undergoes haemodialysis three times per week. This is a process that uses a man-made membrane (dialyzer) to remove waste products, such as urea, from the blood.
Tomal also does peritoneal dialysis, whereby a cleansing fluid flows through a tube into his abdomen and filters waste products from his blood. This is done at home, while haemodialysis is done at the Hospital. He also suffers from high blood pressure, which resulted in him becoming blind in the right eye.
Tomal spent three months at GPHC, and was discharged in April, since the hospital only offers 40 sessions of dialysis. He is now currently conducting his haemodialysis treatment at the Woodlands Hospital; however he is still a patient at the Nephrology Clinic at GPHC.
Tomal Mingo
One dose of peritoneal dialysis that Mingo takes 4-6 times daily
In February 2017, Tomal is scheduled to have a kidney transplant, with his mother as the donor. However before the transplant can be done, a series of tests must be conducted first, including the Complement-dependent-cytotoxicity (CDC) CROSS MATCH TEST, which costs approximately $1 million.
This test is not presently done at GPHC and samples would have to be sent overseas, through FedEx with shipping charges applied. The test will detect any antibodies in pre- and post-transplant patients, which will dictate clinical management of transplant patients.
The Director of Nephrology Department /Dialysis Centre, Consultant – Multi-Organ Transplant and Vascular Access Surgery at GPHC, Dr. Kishore Persaud, authorised that the tests be conducted.
Tomal is the eldest of five children, and a student of Charlestown Secondary School. He had previously played football for his school and a club, but is now too exhausted to do so.
His diet is strictly steamed vegetables, a little rice sometimes, and rarely any meat, as he now has to monitor everything he does. He cannot attend school regularly as before, but is still determined to complete his high school education come 2018.
Tomal and his family are urgently seeking the public’s assistance, as the tests are to commence on November 28, 2016.
His mother said, “I am currently a cleaner at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and his father is a self-employed carpenter. The cost of his prolonged hospitalization and weekly dialysis sessions have taken a financial toll on us”.
The mother of five said that they have resorted to seeking the public’s assistance.
“We are, therefore, asking for your financial assistance so that the necessary tests for his kidney transplant can be done as soon as possible.”
Persons willing to contribute in helping the Mingos can deposit their contributions into the bank account: Tomal Mingo – Republic Bank a/c#104-7141 or contact +592 692 8770.
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