"We are starving" – Mother of Child with cerebral palsy cries

Ms Suzzie Darko, Mother of a six year old child with cerebral palsy is calling for help from government or corporate organizations to prevent her from extreme starvation.

Ms Darko holds a bachelor’s degree but says she is unable to work because of her two children one with cerebral palsy and a one year old breastfeeding child.

Narrating her story she said the father of the children has abandoned me and my own family has also neglected me because of my child with cerebral palsy.

“My own mother threw me out of the house saying she cannot eat at the sight of my child with cerebral palsy, that I should throw the child away before I come back to her,” she said

Ms Darko said I have attempted suicide on two occasions, the first time I swallowed a quantity of powdered bleach but I did not die. The second time, I took about 50 tablets of amoxicillin (an antibiotic) locked my child with cerebral palsy in a suitcase, wrote a suicide note and waited to die but shortly afterwards my younger brother came and took me to the hospital, nothing happened to me.

The 30 year old nursing mother said: “We are starving” there are times, we have nothing to eat and when my children start to cry due to hunger all kind of thoughts go through my mind.

She said she wants to take her child with cerebral palsy to school but does not know where to start given that she has no money to even pay for school fees.

“I have applied for the District Assembly Common Fund for persons with disabilities on behalf of my daughter but I am yet to hear from them, we are starving...”

Ms Darko said she once left her daughter in the care of someone and travelled to another town to work and earn a living but just three weeks into time, I was called that my daughter’s leg was swollen.

“When I went back to see her, nobody could tell me exactly what had happened to her but doctors told me her knees have been badly fractured, they performed series of surgical operations on her but to no avail now, this child who was attempting to walk now  has one leg badly contractured,” she said amidst tears

“I have been exploited by many people, herbalists, spiritualists, pastors and some medical personnel; I have spent all my money seeking her for my child, now I have no money and no job”

Ms Darko said I have sold many of my personal belongings, “just recently I attempted to sell two more cloths that I have but nobody was ready to buy”.

She said the only thing that is keeping her alive is her daughter with cerebral palsy, “Blessing, is the one inspiring me to live now, anytime I think about taking my life, I also think about what will happen to her if I am no longer there to support her.”

She said: “I want to engage in some trading activities to enable me have time to take care of my daughter with cerebral palsy and her brother but where do I get the start up capital.”

Ms Darko called on corporate Ghana to help save her from extreme starvation.