SCENARIO 1 Time: 2001 or thereabouts. Location: Somewhere in Oyo State, Nigeria
Situation: God loving, tongue speaking young family blessed with their first born; a set of twins, healthy but premature and in dire need of oxygen. As the delivery hospital did not have any incubator, the onus was on the parents to find a hospital that had a functioning one. For hours, they drove around the town from one end to the other with the new-born babies looking for an incubator to give the lifesaving oxygen and warmth.
The first one they found had only space for one of the babies to share with another one already there. Even at that neither of the twins was accepted because the hospital didn’t see sense in separating the babies. Eventually after close to 12 hours after delivery, an incubator was found for the babies, but not until the deposit was made.
Fast forward 2017: 16 odd years later….. The twins survived and are teenagers now but battling cerebral palsy, blindness, inability to walk, severe learning disabilities and needing around the clock care amongst other things.
SCENARIO 2.
Time: Sometime in 2006 Location: Somewhere in SK, Canada Situation: God loving, tongue speaking young family blessed with their first born, a baby boy; 6 weeks premature, with under developed lungs and weighing just over 4 lbs. Even before he was able to make a sound, he was whisked out of the room to the NICU, the parents were reassured he was in safe hands and will be taken care of.
For 4 weeks, the baby was in the hospital, he had his own incubator and dedicated nurses, all that was required of the parents was to come and hold him for a few minutes each day for bonding.
Fast forward 2017; 10 odd years later…. The preteen boy is almost as tall as mom, loves to play basketball and bug his little brother. You won’t even know he was a preemie. Doctors said he will be at least 6’ 4” tall.
The stark difference in the outcome of these two scenarios got me thinking again! There has to be something we can do to reduce or eliminate scenario 1, and not just waiting for the govt. Remember the preemie hat challenge over Xmas? that was my little way of saying thank you to NICUs around here.
Here is my new year challenge.
1. I will give my time to keep making free crochet hats for sick new borns, preemies etc. to be donated to any hospice or group that have a need/use for them. (please feel free to let me know if someone you know needs something)
2. 70% of proceeds of sales from HandcraftdLuv website for the next 1year will be set aside to be donated towards this project.
Using one stone to kill 20 birds is a possibility. I get to continue doing what I love (crochet); NICUs & hospices get support through the free crochet hats and stuff; funds are raised towards the procurement of incubator(s) to help and support kids in naija.
How can you be a part?
Option 1: Starting March 1st I will post updates on the number of free hats made weekly and will encourage each person to put aside the minimum sensible denomination in your part of the world e.g. $1CAD, 50p, N5, $1USD or whatever comes to your mind.
Option 2: Head over to our website: http://omogesandi.wix.com/handcraftdluv
Place your order, you can wear or use your ordered stuff knowing that 70% of the proceeds will go to towards the purchase of the incubator(s) / equipment to help reduce scenario 1
There will be a recap at the end of each month to see how much has been raised and how to proceed.
We can harness the power of social media to make this work. Share this vision and post on your fb wall, Instagram, twitter, wherever! Let’s see if we can get the attention of the big goons.
Be Inspired! I am ready to crochet, are you ready to come along? Blessed to be a blessing!
