Ibrahim Mahama foots $110,000 bill of 10-year-old leukaemia patient

Ghanaian business mogul, Ibrahim Mahama, who is known for his philanthropic works, has offered to foot the medical bills of a 10-year-old undergoing leukaemia treatment.

The beneficiary, Lisa Laryea, a student of Lerato Preparatory and JHS at Lartebiokorshie, was diagnosed with stage 4 leukaemia, a life-threatening cancer of the blood and bone marrow, on November 1, 2024.

Georgia Golightly Thompson, the mother of the 10-year-old, in an interview with JoyNews, narrated how her daughter was diagnosed with stage 4 leukaemia.

She indicated that she only took her daughter to the hospital for what seemed like a simple cold and headache, only to receive the shock of her life.

“Lisa went for career day at school, and then my mother was called by the school authority that Lisa was complaining of body pains.

"On November 1, 2024, she was taken to the hospital for treatment for a common cold and malaria, but upon close examination by the physicians, we were told they were going to admit her,” she is quoted to have said.

She added, “Later, I was called for counselling at the hospital. I was very alarmed, and I was devastated when the news was broken to me that Lisa had been diagnosed with stage 4 leukaemia, which happens to be cancer of the blood and bone marrow.”

Golightly Thompson said that after the diagnosis, she started selling her assets, but the amount she raised was nowhere near the $100,000 needed for the bone marrow transplant in South Africa to save her daughter’s life.

“I had started selling my assets, and it wasn’t getting anywhere. I had sold my little plot of land I had, but it still didn’t amount to anything,” she added.

Out of desperation, the family took to social media to share their ordeal, and God being so good, their post went viral, and Ibrahim Mahama, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Engineers & Planners and Dzata Cement, came to their aid.

Ibrahim Mahama pledged to cover the entire cost of Lisa’s treatment, including airfare for Lisa, her mother, and auntie, as well as a medical doctor to South Africa.

Rafik Mahama, a special aide to Ibrahim Mahama, who also spoke to JoyNews, indicated that his boss is not worried about the cost of Lisa’s treatment and would do everything he can to save her.

“Mr. Ibrahim Mahama doesn’t look at cost when it comes to saving somebody’s life. He gives those instructions that whatever it takes to save the person’s life, you go ahead and do it.

"So, that’s why we didn’t look at the cost of it but made sure we got Lisa to South Africa and for her to go through the procedure. We have the doctors on standby and the nurse as well, and they’re even in touch with the family,” he said.

The 10-year-old, who has been admitted at the Ridge Hospital in Accra, is expected to leave for South Africa on Thursday, November 21, 2024.

BAI/AE

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