Millicent Kwaakyewaa Addai

I am Millicent Addai and I was born on 28^thAugust, 1988 in Kumasi in Ghana. I was only four years when I fell ill and was taken to the hospital for malaria treatment. Later I started bending to the left side of my body and was quickly taken to the hospital for further investigation. After examination, the doctor recommended Physiotherapy for a period of time which I did but yielded no positive result, rather I got worse as the days went by. I lost hope and prayed to God for a miracle.

Years later, I met a man on the street who introduced himself as a herbalist and could assist in treating the deformity. His herbal treatment made me absent myself from school every Friday. Unfortunately, this herbal treatment lasted for only four months because the herbalist passed away. It was the darkest moment of my life because I thought life had given up on me. My mother became emotionally disturbed and did not know what to do anymore.

I then decided to bring my education to a halt because I could no longer take the mockery, intimidation and humiliation from schoolmates and even comments from teachers.  Words of encouragement from my mother became a pillar that helped me to complete my education at the primary level.  Beginning my Junior High school education was not easy but mysteriously God made a way. My mother crossed paths with the famous Spine surgeon Prof. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei of FOCOS in the latter part of my second year in JHS. He requested to see me in clinic at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

I finally met Prof. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei in 2000 and was diagnosed of scoliosis, a condition which will require surgery to correct. I said to myself “Finally there is light at the end of the tunnel”. Prof. Boachie-Adjei and the FOCOS team decided to sponsor my surgery and this was a dream come through. I had a successful surgery on 4^thJanuary, 2001. I thanked God for all the good things I experienced but little did I know that my surgery was the beginning of a new chapter in my life. Prof Boachie also funded my education from Senior High School through to the university. I said to myself that if wasn’t going to be the best I will be part of the best. Currently, I am a teacher with Master’s Degree in Education and I am thankful to the almighty God for this life changing surgery. I am also eternally grateful to Prof. Oheneba Boachie- Adjei and the FOCOS team for making my life meaningful once again.