Mtukudzi joins US$100k appeal for Natasha

By Lance Guma

[twitter-follow username=”lanceguma” scheme=”dark”]

HARARE – Zimbabwe music superstar Oliver Mtukudzi has thrown his weight behind a charity appeal for Natasha Sanyanga, the five-year old Zimbabwean girl who needs US$100 000 within the next 10 days in order to pay for a life-saving bone marrow transplant in India.

Natasha who lives in Harare with her family suffers from a condition called Aplastic Anaemia. In this disease, the bone marrow shuts down and stops making new blood cells meaning she effectively has no immune system to fight off diseases. Children with this disease need treatment quickly to survive.

In a video posted on You Tube, Mtukudzi appealed to Zimbabweans across the globe to help save Natasha’s life. Parents Eddie and Sylvia Sanyanga announced on Monday that they had so far raised US$10 000 from well-wishers and they were hopeful through prayer they would reach the US$100 000 target.

Well-wishers helping to raise money for Natasha say “tests done earlier this week show that all elements in her blood are decreasing and her condition is currently critical requiring urgent medical attention.”

“Natasha’s case is severe to the extent that she currently requires a bone marrow transplant from a matching donor to replace her failing bone marrow cells thereby giving Natasha a new immune system, red blood cells and platelets.”

“Upon consultation with visiting Doctors from India a decision was made to seek treatment in India. Given the latest batch of test results under advisement the Sanyanga’s have been told that their daughters health is in a precarious state and have been asked to fly out to India for treatment as soon as possible.”

The parents have opted for India because treatment is not available in Zimbabwe and South Africa which would have been much nearer turned out to be more expensive.

Donations can also be made online via http://bit.ly/17rFDfk or through EcoCash for those in Zimbabwe on phone number: 0772432689.