And once again, Nigeria is on the verge of losing one of its
young minds that has shown astute leadership skills – a trait the country needs
desperately for her great future.
She is equally a chartered Personnel Manager after sitting
for and passing the qualifying exams of the Chattered Institute of Personnel
Management.
Shortly after her service year, she followed her dream to
have a world-class clothing label and to become a top employer of labour in the
country.
So her quest for creativity, innovation and quality delivery
propelled the young Balogun to start the company called Adornare Clothing and
Accessories, a company which has been providing clothing and organising
training to empower young Nigerians.
Starting with just raw talent, some formal training and a
great amount of passion, Balogun was able to channel her energy to create an
opportunity that other young people can benefit from.
But her dream to run a world-class clothing and accessories
company may appear to be hitting the wall as Balogun is currently hospitalised,
battling a kidney disease.
On that day when fate struck her this fatal blow, she woke
up in her hostel on the university campus and was rushed to the health centre.
Her body swelled and she was held in the cold embrace of fear. She was later
diagnosed of Alderman (a medical condition that is characterised by body
swelling).
She was just in her second year in the university, but was
told that she had very high cholesterol. The information came to her as a rude
shock but for the next two years of her life, Balogun was on medications.
Still, she graduated with distinctions.
In 2008, she became better and life appeared to be squeezing
her lemons into lemonades. But after her national youth service program in
2011, she had a major health crisis that threatened to end her dreams. But she
fought back to stay alive. She was rushed to the Gbagada General Hospital in
Lagos, where she was diagnosed with kidney infection.
Distressed by the diagnosis, the strong-willed Balogun
didn’t allow the kidney infection to stop her from chasing after her dream. She
took her medications, fought the disease and made efforts to be a blessing to
all those around her.
But in 2012, despite her valiant efforts to stay strong, the
disease escalated to stage four. And in search of a better treatment, Balogun
was taken to the Ekiti State Hospital where she continued the battle of her
life.
After an entire month in bed, she started to show signs of
recovery. But the cost of transport and the difficulty associated with
travelling from Lagos to Ekiti for hospital visits necessitated a transfer to
the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
So the fight continued and the doctors in LUTH struggled to
manage the disease. But soon, another tragedy struck. The doctors at LUTH went
on strike. She was then taken to Gbagada General Hospital. While at the
hospital, she went through a series of test and treatment after which she was
advised to undergo a kidney transplant immediately, if she wanted to stay
alive.
According to one of her schoolmates back at OAU, Peter
Okolie, “Yomade has always dedicated herself to being a blessing to those
around her.”
In the last eight years, she has been in and out of
hospitals and has had to take more medications than most people would take all
through their life.
Despite all these, Balogun continues to wear a smile and
believes that the fight is not over until she wins over the disease.
Currently, she is presently undergoing dialysis twice a week
at the Gbagada General Hospital and Clinix Health Care, under the supervision
of Dr Busari with hospital no 210770. The cost of the bi-weekly dialysis is
very heavy and the dialysis is not a permanent treatment for the disease.
Tragically, Balogun lost her father to an auto-accident on
the 20th of March 1992 (22 years ago) and the responsibility for her medical
bills and care has been handled only by her mother.
As it stands, the recommend treatment is a kidney
transplant. The cost projection for the kidney transplant according to St
Nicholas Hospital is about N9 million, which her mother, a civil servant with
Somolu-Bariga Local Government in Lagos State cannot afford.
All those that have met Balogun would attest to the fact
that she is a promising young lady that is a beacon of hope to this generation.
She has always put the interest of others before her own.
She has always looked at the best in other people and she has a tender
compassionate heart. Even through her health challenges she has always found
opportunities to be a blessing to those around her. “Posterity would hold us
accountable if we allow her light to go out simply because we chose to fold our
hands when we could lend a helping hand,” said Okolie.
“Balogun needs N9 million for a kidney transplant, Please
kindly make a donation to any of the accounts stated below – Balogun Yomade
Yewande: Diamond bank: 0041932927, Diamond bank: 0051136447 (dollar account) ,
Guaranty Trust Bank: 0130520176, Zenith Bank: 2084974783.
“Nothing is too small, every assistance is appreciated. I
want to live to fulfil my dream. Now, I need well-meaning Nigerians to save me
from dying,’ Balogun said, expressing faith in her countrymen.
“Balogun Yomade needs N9 million for the kidney transplant,
if she must stay alive to be a blessing to this generation. She’s is an
extremely nice person. Despite the fact that she’s on a sick bed, she keeps
encouraging us and telling us she would not die. If she dies without help, it
will send a wrong signal to the rest of the world about us as a country,” said
Balogun Adebimpe, her sister.
For further information Balogun can be reached through her
sister, Adebimpe on 08052562404 or 08034228346.
Source: This Day
God please save Yomade!!!
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