A 46-YEAR-OLD man from Nkulumane suburb whose main artery to the heart has a weakened wall and expands abnormally when the heart pumps blood, is seeking US$24 000 to replace the defective valve.
Mr Wilberforce Matashu was diagnosed with a Fusiform Aneurysm of the ascending aorta.
If the valve is not replaced, it may rupture and he would die.
A fusiform aneurysm is an abnormal dilation of the aorta, the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
Symptoms of a fusiform aneurysm vary. Some show symptoms associated with low blood pressure and these include dizziness, fainting, and pale skin.
The condition urgently requires heart surgery.
Mr Matashu produced documents from various doctors that explained his condition, the measures that need to be taken and also the money needed for the whole medical treatment.
“My medical condition requires an urgent operation in India, it is so sad that it cannot be done locally. I have incurred huge medical expenses and as a result, am now struggling to keep up with my bills and living expenses. I am unable to work due to my medical condition and my savings have been depleted as a result of my medical bills,” said Mr Matashu.
He said he needs financial assistance to cover his medical expenses, particularly the surgery bill for the operation which is to be done in India.
Mr Matashu said about US$24 000 is needed for the operation.
“Since I am self-employed and also a breadwinner at home, things have been really hard because my family is struggling with basic needs. It is very hard to do anything at the moment. When I fell sick, they had to do tests and see what problems I had and during the process, I was losing a lot of money,” he said.
Mr Matashu said he still has not managed to raise anything for the surgery and is thus appealing to members of the public to help him.
He said those who wish to help him can contact the numbers; +263775 819 961 or +2772 610 524.
