Every child deserves a fighting chance

Mar 24, 2026 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

(Kaieteur News) – The death of a child is one of the hardest things a society can face. It shakes us. It leaves us with pain that words cannot fully express. But when a child dies while awaiting critical medical intervention, the grief becomes even heavier. It is no longer just about loss. It is also about questions—painful questions that do not go away.

Could that child have been saved? Would things have been different if help came sooner? Did we, as a society, do enough?

In the case of the 12-year-old who needed a bone marrow transplant, we may never know the answer to the most important question—whether the surgery would have saved his life. Medicine is not certain. Even the best doctors cannot guarantee outcomes. But that is not the point. The point is that that child deserved a fighting chance. Every child does.

What makes this situation even more troubling is that the cost of the surgery, G$7 million, was not beyond reach. It is a large sum for any one family. But for an entire country, for a united public, it is not impossible. In fact, it is the kind of figure that could have been raised quickly if enough people acted together. Yet, by the time of the child’s death, only about G$3.5 million had been raised. That reality should trouble us deeply.

It is easy to turn immediately to the government and ask why it did not pay the full amount. That reaction is understandable, especially in a country that is now described as oil-rich. But we must also be fair. The government cannot pay for every single expensive medical procedure for every citizen. There are many people in need. Resources, even when they grow, are still limited. Assistance has to be spread across thousands of cases.

This is not a perfect system. It is far from it. But it is the reality we live in. The more uncomfortable question, therefore, is not what the government did or did not do. The real question is why did the public not raise the money?

In today’s world, people mobilise funds quickly for many things. We see it all the time. Fundraisers for parties, events, and even personal projects can gain traction in hours. Social media gives us the power to reach thousands of people instantly. A single post can travel far and wide. So why did that same energy not come together for a child fighting for his life?

Was it lack of awareness? Perhaps not enough people saw the appeal. That is possible. But in a small society like ours, news travels quickly, especially when it involves a child in need.

Or is it something deeper?

There is a growing habit in our society. Many people are quick to speak. They are quick to criticize. They are quick to point out what is wrong. But when it comes time to act; when it comes time to give, even a small amount, many remain silent. It is easier to complain than to contribute. But a society cannot function on complaints alone. It must also be built on compassion, responsibility, and action. If just 7,000 people had given G$1,000 each, the full amount would have been raised. That is not an impossible task. In fact, it is quite achievable in a country of this size. Even smaller contributions, if given by more people, could have made the difference.

This is why this situation should serve as a wake-up call. We cannot always rely on institutions alone. There are moments when the strength of a society is measured by how its people respond to urgent need. This was one of those moments. And we must ask ourselves honestly whether we rose to the occasion.

Because at the heart of this is not just one child’s story. It is about who we are as a people. Do we care enough to act quickly when it matters most? Do we see someone else’s suffering as our responsibility too? Are we willing to give, even a little, to save a life?

We will never know if that surgery would have changed the outcome. That uncertainty will always remain. But what should not remain is the doubt about whether we did everything we could. A child needed help. The cost was known. Time was limited. He deserved a fighting chance. Next time, we must do better.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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bone marrow transplant, fighting chance, Marlon Jupiter, Peeping Tom, surgery

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